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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22668541">Pokemon Tazmarine</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Roseburst/pseuds/Roseburst'>Roseburst</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adventure, Adventure &amp; Romance, Alternate Universe, Battle, Breasts, Casual Sex, Consent, Explicit Consent, F/F, F/M, First Dates, First Kiss, First Time, Futanari, Futanari on Male, Gay, Gay Sex, Huge Breasts, Human/Pokemon Relationship(s), Large Breasts, Large Cock, M/M, Major Original Character(s), Male on Futanari, Multi, Nervousness, Non-Graphic Violence, Oral Sex, Orgasm, Original Character(s), Original Pokemon, Original Universe, Other, POV First Person, Pokemon Battles, Pokemon Journey, Pokemon Varients, Pokephilia, Porn with Feelings, Public Nudity, Romance, Sharing a Bed, Smut, Transformation, Vaginal Sex, Voyeurism, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, huge cock</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 02:13:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>48,402</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22668541</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Roseburst/pseuds/Roseburst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Vibreal Region long eluded discovery, until recently. In this land of mysterious discoveries left by human and Pokemon alike, a new Pokemon League has formed, inspiring many to journey to experience the long-lost wonders Vibreal holds in its grasp. As the world beyond continues to change its feelings towards what it means to be a Trainer, a man named William embarks on his own adventure to discover the answer for himself. But people fear nothing more than change, as the bond between Pokemon and Human continues to uproot the ways of old. Yet, the distant past may in fact be the source of true change, as two become one, master becomes partner, and minion becomes lover. Adventure, romance, and Vibreal await.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kapu-Rehire | Tapu Fini &amp; Pokemon/Original Human Characters, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon/Original Human Character(s), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon/Original Male Character(s), Pokemon - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>52</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Storm-dodging City</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This story is an in-progress epic, which aims to contain upwards of 200 chapters. Updates regularly. Any chapters featuring explicit content will have notes specifying what takes place.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Even here, I couldn't escape the smell of fresh dew on the pavement. Storms were definitely much more violent in the middle of the ocean than on the mainland.</p>
<p>"-ill-!" A muffled voice called out from the depths of my pocket. I darted my hand past my moistened grey shirt and into my shorts, pulling out my Holo Caster. I had neglected turning it off, and my call was still going... hopefully my pockets weren't too dirty.</p>
<p>"Storm's over, you can come out now." I joked, making the frilled hair man on the screen roll his eyes, his cheek inflating.</p>
<p>"You had me worried. I thought you capsized or something." Isaac explained.</p>
<p>"Oh please, how could this place capsize?" I asked as I started walking back into the streets. "The city might not be the largest, but it's pretty big!"</p>
<p>"You never know." Isaac replied as something shined behind the screen display. I moved him aside for a moment, watching a Blastoise redirect the storm water back into the ocean.</p>
<p>"Let's not jinx it. Bottom line is that I'm fine. Everything's fine." I replied. "I should only be ten minutes or so."</p>
<p>"Great! And hey, Spearhead Town's pretty fast, so I'd guess it'll get there even sooner. That being said, I can only just barely see clouds in the distance." Isaac explained. I took a glace behind me to see the misty clouds fading away into the horizon.</p>
<p>"Who's in a rush?" I asked, narrowly avoiding bumping into another passenger. "I'd like to enjoy the city while I can."</p>
<p>"I thought you were moving here." Isaac asked. I raised the Holo Caster back in front of me as I leaned against one of the buildings, letting a group of people pass me.</p>
<p>"I never said what I was coming here for, dude." I explained.</p>
<p>"Yeah, I know. It really bothers me." Isaac frowned. "Hopefully you're not just here for the floating city ride."</p>
<p>"It's nice, but not really my thing." I honestly explained, sighing. "It's practically just a few buildings built onto a boat."</p>
<p>"It's not just some cruise ship." Isaac continued. "You're standing on a trillion-"</p>
<p>"We will be making landfall in one minute. All passengers, please begin packing up your belongings before heading to the front of the ship." The loudspeaker announced, beckoning a wave of people to begin moving to the bow of the vessel.</p>
<p>"He called it a ship, I win." I smiled, worsening Isaac's expression.</p>
<p>"Yeah. Sure, you win." The man replied. "See you in a bit."</p>
<p>I nodded at the machine as I shut it off, placing it back into my pocket. Next came the hard part: surfing through the waves of people looking to get onto land first. Thankfully, without any baggage to lose, I had a significant advantage. Yes!</p>
<p>Through the field of heads, a huge mountain was quickly coming into view, growing by the second. The city-ship buckled as it began to slow, just slow enough to avoid making a domino display out of the passengers. The ship slid into the metal dock, which locked around the city to hold it in place. Just like that, it was like this city had never moved at all.</p>
<p>"Thank you for visiting Spearhead Town." The intercom shouted long after the people in the front had begun walking away. Then, it was my turn. My feet felt instantly relieved with the stable ground beneath it, and the blades of grass pressed down by my shoes. The ocean's waves quietly lapped at the shores of the island, while the dots of flying Pokemon circled around the tree-infested mountain. It definitely was a brilliant sight, and I had only been here for a few moments.</p>
<p>Now... where was Isaac? I slowly began to walk forward, following the path of people as I looked around for any sight of him.</p>
<p>A gloved hand suddenly pressed itself on my shoulder, bringing my eyes to his.</p>
<p>"Oh, there you are." I nervously exclaimed.</p>
<p>"Hey, Will." Isaac replied, pulling his arm away. "Let me be the first person to welcome you to the Vibreal Region!"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Adventure's Guide</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I have to say, it's a lot more vertical than the pictures let on." I exclaimed, nearly bending my neck as far as it could go to see the peaks of the mountains.</p>
<p>"It's not the biggest island, but it's one of the tallest in the world by far." Isaac explained, motioning for me to follow him as he began walking away from Spearhead Town. "Climbing up there might be a bit difficult though. It's quite literally a sheer cliff!"</p>
<p>"I'm guessing there's no permanent residence up there, then." I joked.</p>
<p>"Nope, not that I'm aware." Isaac explained. "People love the cave, though. Most of the region's down there."</p>
<p>"That's cool. I can't wait to see it. Speaking of which, how have you been, man?" I asked. Isaac had been a long time friend of mine for quite a long time, and it was swell to finally see him again.</p>
<p>"I've been great! The weather's been nice, people too." Isaac explained. "A ways from here is Odaya Town, where we'll make a short stop. I already booked you a room in a hotel in Turquoise Lagoon City! Beautiful place. Especially at night."</p>
<p>"That reminds me. What's this place called?" I asked, looking around. Upon further inspection, the plains ahead looked like stairs, climbing from the base of the mountains down to the waters below. Agriculture of all types seemed to flourish here, and yet the fields themselves where surprisingly empty.</p>
<p>"This is Farmstead Plains." Isaac cheerfully replied. "This used to be an ancient farming community thousands of years ago. It was revitalized and opened to unleash its full potential, I've heard. Not many Pokemon here, though. They prefer the eastern and southern shores of the isle."</p>
<p>"Any particular reason for that?"</p>
<p>"Well, I guess they could be flocking around the cave entrance. That's my best guess."</p>
<p>"I gotcha. How long of a walk do we have?"</p>
<p>"Already getting tired, are we?" Isaac whined. I frowned at him, only for him to shrug it off.</p>
<p>"No, I was just curious." I asked. "I'm in no rush."</p>
<p>"That reminds me. Why'd you come here again?" Isaac curiously asked.</p>
<p>"You're kidding me, right?" I nearly yelled. "I've been waiting to be a Trainer for years. Wait, you're joking, aren't you?"</p>
<p>"Course I am!" Isaac cheerfully shouted. "I'm just as excited as you are. You are excited, yes?"</p>
<p>"Definitely. Glad to be one of the first to give the League a try." I responded. It had taken a bit of money and time, but I had finally made it. I really should stop selling this short.</p>
<p>"I wonder what friends you'll make here. Hopefully you won't forget about me." Isaac stated.</p>
<p>"Nah, I won't. No worries man." I said as I tapped my long-time-friend's shoulder. "And don't worry, I did some reservations of my own. I'm meeting with Professor Drolpil tonight to get registered and everything."</p>
<p>"Look at you, taking the initiative!" Isaac cheered. "You're gonna do great."</p>
<p>"Thanks for the encouragement." I replied.</p>
<p>I took a moment to take another look around. Most of the other passengers of Spearhead Town had either pulled over to the side of the stone path to watch the ocean, or hurried ahead to the group of buildings slowly drawing closer. Turning around, I couldn't even see Spearhead anymore from behind a cliff of rock and moss. The route really wasn't that far, or maybe I was just getting lost in conversation as usual.</p>
<p>"So, what's Turquoise Lagoon like? I've seen pictures, but you know..." I explained, catching Isaac's attention again.</p>
<p>"Well, you're probably familiar with the environment a tiny bit, since you lived in Lilycove, but it's a looooot larger. The bay near it is a light blue color, which is why the city is named the way it is."</p>
<p>"I heard it's very beautiful." I remarked.</p>
<p>"Yes, it is. Especially at night." Isaac replied.</p>
<p>"What happens then?" I curiously asked.</p>
<p>"You don't know?" The man questioned. "I thought the water at night would be the big thing to take pictures of!"</p>
<p>"I didn't see any." I admitted. I didn't go too in-depth with my searching, and I probably should have looked more.</p>
<p>"Well, at night..." Isaac started. "...well, no. There's this special variety of Vaporeon. They have grey skin with colorful, long fins and tails. They're just normal Vaporeon, but with different colors, yeah?"</p>
<p>"I gotcha." I nodded.</p>
<p>"Well." Isaac continued. "Unlike other Vaporeon, they are nocturnal. When nighttime rolls around, huge, and I mean huge swarms of them swim into the bay. They release energy into the water that makes it light up and glow, so they can see. It's spectacular!"</p>
<p>"Sounds like it." I replied. "That must be a problem for boats at night."</p>
<p>"Well, because of that, there are no boats there." Isaac explained. "That's the only real suitable docking area on the island. The waters surrounding the islands are rough too, which is why these areas weren't explored until recently. Spearhead Town was built to solve that problem, and get people into the region safely."</p>
<p>"That makes a lot of sense. All because a bunch of glowing fish-dog...cat...things." I responded.</p>
<p>"Hey, they're more than that." Isaac interjected. "If it was just a bunch of normal animal, sure, it would be a different story. But Pokemon are sentient creatures. How would you like it if some big guy ran over your house with a monster truck?"</p>
<p>"I'd be really confused about his intentions." I honestly answered, earning me a soft punch to the gut.</p>
<p>"You know what I mean!" Isaac yelled.</p>
<p>"I do, I do. I wouldn't be trying to be a trainer if I didn't know that." I explained. "It's a shame some people don't."</p>
<p>"Aye. I'm surprised people hundreds of years ago didn't plow through here with their boats and settle down." Isaac explained. "I'm waiting for a news headline of some jackass bringing his motorboat through the bay."</p>
<p>"I think the Vaporeon wouldn't take too kindly to that." I smiled.</p>
<p>"Haha! No, they most certainly wouldn't." Isaac laughed. "He'd make it maybe ten feet in before dozens of 'um capsize the ship. Don't worry though, they're really friendly to people going for a swim. Too friendly in fact."</p>
<p>"What do you mean by too friendly?" I asked.</p>
<p>"Do you remember the Umbreon my parents had?" Isaac questioned.</p>
<p>"Of course I do. It would always jump into my lap and try to lay there." I answered.</p>
<p>"Imagine that, but in the water, with tens of thousands of them." Isaac explained as he waved his arms through the air for emphasis.</p>
<p>"That sounds kinda fun, actually. I have to try that sometime." I replied.</p>
<p>"Send me some pictures if you make it out alive." Isaac joked.</p>
<p>It sounded so ridiculous, I couldn't help but laugh. As I settled down, I wiped a few tears from my eyes to see we were almost in town. The buzz of conversation bounced through the beautiful wooden houses lining the coast in a way that reminded me of home. Isaac and I walked past houses with opened doors and windows, formed like a stationary parade of residents and their Pokemon. I could identify many on sight from years of study: Deerling, Pikachu, Oddish... some I couldn't catch fast enough that sprinted after a group of children jumping between houses.</p>
<p>"Are we just heading straight through, or are we stopping for a bit?" I asked.</p>
<p>"I was thinking we could look around for a bit. Come on, follow me!" Isaac cheered, spinning on his heel to head to his left. I followed him down into town, past more of the houses and people. It wasn't crowded, but it wasn't deserted either. The people that were out and about seemed to be heading the same way we were going, wherever that was.</p>
<p>"What's down this way?" I asked.</p>
<p>"The Marketplace. They sell all kinds of stuff there. Mostly fresh food from Farmstead Plains, but I was thinking we could find you some clothes, since you didn't bring any." Isaac noted.</p>
<p>"I was hoping to blend in with the locals. I've got money to burn." I exclaimed.</p>
<p>"That's a brilliant idea." Isaac smiled. Just up ahead, the road looked to flatten out into a plateau of sorts. It was the perfect place for the shops and stands that flocked the area, where people and Pokemon congregated around every building in sight. Some, however, caught my eye. There was some sort of gathering going on in the clear center of the market.</p>
<p>"Hey Isaac, what's going on over there?" I asked, pointing towards the largest crowd.</p>
<p>"No clue, but I'd be fine to check."</p>
<p>"Let's do it then." I replied, joining my friend as we traveled into the market.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. League of Explorers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The crowds of people standing before me were much easier to navigate than I had thought. Many people stepped aside to let the two of us through, something I thought most humans were too rude to do. Regardless, Isaac and I nudged our way inwards, until we had a view of the center.</p>
<p>Standing there was a small group wearing fancy outfits, talking with another person. They looked like they had just left a wedding, with the dull-golden tuxedos and dresses adorned with a symbol of a clock. The eldest of the group was speaking with what had to be one of the town's residents, a large Pokemon beside her; a Primarina, if I was correct.</p>
<p>"Are you certain there wasn't anything more? It's fine if not, we are just curious." The elderly woman asked.</p>
<p>"That's all, I'm afraid. Sorry if it ain't worth you folks' while." The man replied, sighing.</p>
<p>"That's perfectly fine. Thank you for calling us over." The woman replied. The other man nodded before quickly assimilating into the massive crowd, leaving the group to converse amongst each other.</p>
<p>"Do you know who they are?" I asked.</p>
<p>"People here have been calling them the Cheshire Expeditionary Society. No clue what their deal is." Isaac responded. I turned back to the group... only to be given a huge shock as the old woman was standing right in front of me!</p>
<p>"Oh, sorry, sorry! Am I in your way?" I asked, trying to back up a bit.</p>
<p>"Oh no, that's quite alright." The woman replied. "I was planning on taking my leave, but overheard that you weren't familiar with my colleges and I?"</p>
<p>"I just got here an hour or so ago..." I admitted.</p>
<p>"Well that's quite alright. Allow me to enlighten you, and those here who aren't quite familiar with us." The woman smiled. She suddenly placed her hand into mine, pulling me into the center of the clearing. "My name is Chandla. I am the founder and leader of the Cheshire Expeditionary Society."</p>
<p>"Cool. What do you guys do exactly?" I curiously asked.</p>
<p>"Why that's an excellent question!" One of the well-dressed men cheered. "Marley, by the way. And to answer you, we are archeologists and explorers both. The Vibreal Region holds a wealth of long lost secrets. We want to discover and share this region's fascinating history with its new inhabitants."</p>
<p>"Despite them not being the most... well recorded of peoples in history." Chandla continued.</p>
<p>"Quite. We're learning much ourselves, and new discoveries are made every day." Marley cheered.</p>
<p>"Going back on old news is probably what's making those discoveries few and far between. I do not understand why we have to waste more time dealing with these bloody things." The other man in the group said.</p>
<p>"Calm down, Winston, this outing's only taken an hour at most. Oh, by the way. We were called over here in the first place because of another find." Chandla explained. The woman reached into the pocket of her top, pulling out a strange object. A small orb rested in her palms, resembling a Pokeball in shape. It looked to be made of smooth marble, with still dripping bits of seaweed hugging onto it.</p>
<p>"We find a lot of these things." Marley explained. "Not really the most... exciting things in the region, but they are still marvelous."</p>
<p>"What is it exactly?" I asked.</p>
<p>"We call them Past Shells." Chandla explained. "They open up like a Pokeball, and if you listen very carefully, you might hear the voices of Pokemon."</p>
<p>"Their interiors likely coincidentally amplify sound so you can here a Pokemon off in the distance. They're garbage." Winston groaned. "You'd get more entertainment from-"</p>
<p>"Don't be such a downer, Winston." Marley replied. "They're special in their own right."</p>
<p>"Thank you, Marley." Chandla replied. "But that's really it. We'd love to have some applicants to help us in our work here. If any of you are interested, you can find our office in Turquoise Lagoon City."</p>
<p>"If I wasn't just about to apply to be a Trainer, I might take you up on that offer." I explained.</p>
<p>"Oh that's quite alright young man. I was a Pokemon Trainer once. It's a wonderful path to walk, especially here." Chandla smiled. Before I could speak, she gasped, raising her hand. "Let me hand you the first treasure you come across on your journey. I'd like to give you this Past Shell as a good luck charm."</p>
<p>"That's quite alright ma'am." I replied, only for her to place the object into my palm.</p>
<p>"I do insist." Chandla explained. "Things like this are better in the hands of others than behind glass. Please?"</p>
<p>"Okay. Thank you very much." I happily said.</p>
<p>"Put it up to your ear. See if you hear anything." Chandla advised. I nodded, pulling the shell apart. It opened without a hitch, letting me place it against my ear. Covering up my other one, I listened closely.</p>
<p>...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I could here nothing but the muffled conversations of the people around us.</p>
<p>"I don't hear anything." I responded, closing the shell and placing it into my pocket.</p>
<p>"Maybe it'll take some time." Chandla suggested. "But thank you everyone for the attention. Good luck with your adventures, especially to you!"</p>
<p>Chandla parted the crowd with a single bow, leading her and her friends out of the circle of people. The Primarina gave me a happy wave as it shuffled after what I assumed was its trainer, joining them as they disappeared into the  other reaches of the town.<br/>"Why she didn't ask me instead I'll never know." Isaac puffed.</p>
<p>"Maybe you smell bad." I suggested.</p>
<p>"What? I do not." Isaac responded.</p>
<p>"I'm messing with you." I replied, looking around. "The market seems pretty crowded. Do they have shops in Turquoise Lagoon City?"</p>
<p>"What kind if a question is that, of course they do." Isaac laughed.</p>
<p>"Let's head there. I wanna see the professor first though." I suggested.</p>
<p>"That's all right with me." Isaac cheered. "Just don't get lost."</p>
<p>"Don't worry." I responded. "I'm right behind you."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Lights and Laboratory</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"...and then he asked "why did you put your snacks in tin-foil?" I mimicked. "Because they came that way, moron!"</p><p>"Haha! City travel just as bad as air, huh?" Isaac asked.</p><p>"Eh, I'm here and that's what matters." I replied.</p><p>"Yep. And the sight is just over this ridge, come on!" Isaac cheered. The route from the town to Turquoise Lagoon City wasn't too long, but the day was reaching its end. The sun had long draped the waving road, likely the reason it was called Shade Stroll. Still, the crimson-bleached clouds far in the distance where the final signs that night was approaching.</p><p>I quickly followed Isaac over the rise in the road, standing beside him as I took in the city below. And what a city! The buildings were just like the ones in the town before, except that they were tightly packed, some rising up and skyscrapers that didn't even come close to the height of the mountain to the west! The stone structures were interconnected by sky bridges and wonderful white roads devoid of cars - or street lights. There wasn't a single outdoor light in the entire city. Half of it was in darkness.<br/>"William, look!" Isaac yelled, catching my attention. He pointed towards the lagoon, a huge section of water blocked off from the sea by towering pillars of rock. Around those pillars came a soft blue glow, growing as it slowly inched its way into the bay. I couldn't see the Pokemon all the way from here, but their show was breathtaking: the two hands of light shook in the center of the bay before every inch of the lagoon was a soft, greenish blue. The glow grew over just a few minutes before it illuminated the city beside it in a way where I could see each and every building.</p><p>"That's awesome!" I cheered, following Isaac as he resumed his walk.</p><p>"We made it just in time." The man smiled. "Totally not because I planned for it or anything."</p><p>"I figured you were walking a bit slow." I figured.</p><p>"It was worth it."</p><p>"I didn't have any objections to it. Was just having a realization." I admitted. "So this is Turquoise Lagoon City."</p><p>"Biggest in the whole region and for good reason." Isaac stressed. "The hotel I booked for you is the tallest building in the city, Funni Tower." Isaac explained, pointing to the massive structure in the distance. It had to be taking up five blocks, one on each side to stabilize the central tower.</p><p>"I heard of this place. The tallest building in the world." I noted.</p><p>"Yep. The region attracted a lot of attention. Another landmark wouldn't hurt." Isaac explained. "And it's surprisingly cheap to stay there."</p><p>"Why is that?" I asked.</p><p>"It's so big, all the rooms are never booked at once. Maybe once Vibreal becomes more popular, but best enjoy the deal while you can, right?" Isaac shrugged.</p><p>"I getcha." I replied. "And where's the Professor at?"</p><p>"He should be just down the block, if I remember right." Isaac explained. "Best hurry to him before it gets too late!"</p><p>"Good thinking." I nodded. "You lead the way!"</p><p>-----<br/>I was already enjoying Vibreal a lot more than Hoenn. The sights, the people, and how easy it was to get around. We made it to the Lab in only a couple dozen minutes or so, not too shabby at all. The building itself was made almost entirely out of windows, and the machine-filled inside was clearly visible.</p><p>"Streets are a bit calm today." Isaac commented. "Usually it's a lot worse than this."</p><p>"We should be thankful then." I replied. "You comin' with?"</p><p>"I'm gonna head to my place for the night. You'd better show me the Pokemon you get." Isaac laughed.</p><p>"I wonder what I'll get to choose from." I thought out loud.</p><p>"Well, you should take this." Isaac explained, handing me a small pass. It was a room key, labeled 4323.</p><p>"Thanks dude." I nodded.</p><p>"See you tomorrow! Good luuuuck!" Isaac cheered as he begun to take his leave. I would've turned to watch him leave, but... this was it. The big moment I'd been waiting for. I just had to be calm... don't look stupid. Be cool.<br/>I pushed away the urge to clench my fists as I walked in, the electric doors parting to let me inside. The lobby was almost completely empty, save for a single desk that sat a man, who waved as I entered.</p><p>"Good evening, sir. Do you have an appointment?" The receptionist asked.</p><p>"Yes, I'm meeting with Professor Drolpil." I answered.</p><p>"William's your name then?" He asked.</p><p>"Yep."</p><p>"You're early. That's all right though, I'll see if he's ready for you." The man replied. He fished around his desk for a cellphone, typing away at it before placing it on his ear. I took a seat as he patiently tapped his fingers against his desk.<br/>"Hello, Drolpil?" The man asked. "William is here to see you. ...sure thing, I'll send him right over. ...no problem. ...bye."</p><p>Getting the gist of the situation, I rose to my feet as the man slid out from his post, motioning for me to follow him. We journeyed into the lab, walking past doors labeled with different doctors and researchers. After passing through the gray-colored hallway, the receptionist turned, opening a door to his left. I stepped inside as he shut it behind me.</p><p>The room itself was a neatly organized mess. Machines, tables and cabinets neatly covered the room. Each was a different size or shape, their purposes possibly anything. The Professor himself was a middle-aged man with black hair, wearing a tropical shirt and long pants. He was just placing the last of three Pokeballs on one of the tables. He folded his arms behind his back as he turned to me.</p><p>"I was ready to stay up all night waiting for you, but you robbed me of the chance!" Drolpil chuckled.</p><p>"I can come back later if it's an issue." I modestly said.</p><p>"No need, I'm happy to see you. I'm Professor Drolpil, Pokemon expert. Pleasure to meet you." The man said as he held out his hand. I quickly walked over, giving the firmest handshake of my life.</p><p>"I'm William, but you already knew that." I replied.</p><p>"I do. Thank you, William, for being one of the first trainers of Vibreal." Drolpil exclaimed. "Since we've already been through the paperwork, I'm proud to present you with this."</p><p>The Professor held out a small, plastic card, which I took in earnest. It was a card displaying my identification and certification to own Pokemon and challenge gyms, as well as a picture of me. I wasn't good at taking pictures, but this shot looked to be the best one I'd seen. It reflected the smile I was wearing now.</p><p>"Thank you." I nodded, placing it in the pocket not containing the Past Shell.</p><p>"Don't thank me yet, we still have my favorite part." Drolpil exclaimed. "To begin your journey, you need a partner. The Pokemon contained within these Pokeballs were willing to have a journey with someone like you. We don't just steal some random Pokemon, after all."<br/>"I completely understand, sir." I responded.</p><p>"Hahaha, good!" Drolpil chuckled. "Now then, let's get down to business." The Professor turned around, picking up a large tablet. On its screen where three dimensional pictures that slowly rotated. "You have a choice between the Grass Pokemon Turtwig..." Drolpil pointed at the image of the green turtle Pokemon. "...the Fire Pokemon Cyndaquil..." He pointed to the middle Pokemon, a blue and tan Pokemon with small eyes. "...and finally, the Water Pokemon Oshawott." He pointed at the only bipedal Pokemon of the group, standing tall with its blue skin. Comparing all of them, and what I knew about being a Trainer... I had made my choice.</p><p>"Oshawott." I firmly said. "That's the one."</p><p>"Oh, an excellent choice." Drolpil cheered as he set down the tablet. "That little girl's been waiting weeks for someone to pick her. You'll be a great team."</p><p>"I think so too." I replied. "Oshawott seems like a cool Pokemon to me."</p><p>"Well, find out for yourself."  Drolpil exclaimed. He reached onto the table to grab the rightmost Pokeball, pushing the center button to open it. A rush of light summoned the displayed creature onto the ground in front of me. I carefully kneeled down to its level, taking a closer look.</p><p>Its button eyes twinkled as it looked at me, likely excited to be out of that ball. The shell on its chest was majestic looking indeed, and its small body made her look even cuter. "Osha...?" The Pokemon asked, its mouth remaining agape.</p><p>"Hi there." I quietly said, waving to the little Pokemon. It slowly raised its stubby hand to resend the gesture, still awestruck.</p><p>"I'd say she likes you." Drolpil exclaimed. "Care to give her a nickname?"</p><p>"How about... Neera?" I asked her. She nodded, closing her mouth. Neera, as she was now called, slowly waddled her way up to me, just to try to wrap her little arms around my leg. I smiled, putting my fingers under hands to lift her up. "Neera it is."</p><p>"No matter how many times I see it, watching a trainer get their first Pokemon never ceases to warm my heart." Drolpil sniffed. "I'll send you the software to be able to use the Pokedex on your Holo Caster later tonight. Other than that, I have nothing left to do. If you need me, just come over. Good luck."</p><p>I hoisted Neera onto my shoulder, where she sat without a word. I turned to look at her, finding her still staring at me.</p><p>"Thank you." I replied. "Was that the right time to thank you?"</p><p>"It was." Drolpil smiled. He turned back to his work as I made my way to the door, ready to start my adventure... after a good night's rest.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Best Mistake</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>This chapter contains sexual content. Below you can find general tags of the scene.</p>
<p>The tags may be mild spoilers for the content of the chapter, avoid them if you wish.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Male on Futanari<br/>Futanari on Male<br/>Amateur Sex<br/>Oral Sex<br/>Cum in mouth<br/>Romantic<br/>First Time<br/>Human on Pokemorph</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As it turns out, having a room number of 4323 meant that I had the twenty-third room on the forty-third floor... thankfully there was a lot of elevators. The hallways were nicely decorated though, with wooden floors, throw carpets, and white paneled walls with paintings of the bay. Now then... room 4317, room 4319, room 4321...</p>
<p>Ah. Here we are. I reached into my pockets, taking out the room key. The card slid right into the scanner on the door, a beep telling me it had worked. I made sure Neera was alright (she was, and still very happy) as I made my way inside. To my left was a basic kitchen with a stove, oven and microwave, and to my right was the bathroom, the sliding door to it wide open. Just past that was the main room, with a king-sized bed, a couch, and a big television. How nice.</p>
<p>"Do you like the place?" I asked, setting Neera on the bed.</p>
<p>"Osha." The Pokemon said, taking a seat on its covers. She was definitely happy. I left her on the bed as I searched for some food. Sure enough, there was a few microwave dinners in the refrigerator. I pulled a couple out, loosely following their directions as I placed the first into the microwave. As it started running, I returned to the bed. Neera was still sitting on it, her feet dangling off the side. I couldn't help but smile at her. She was a cute one, and I definitely made a good choice.</p>
<p>"Do you want something to eat?" I asked. I knew Pokemon could eat human food or food made just for them. "I'm making some Pasta and am omelet, and I want you to eat whatever you want. Don't be shy."</p>
<p>"Wott!" The Pokemon happily cheered. Even though being able to understand her would be great, her being able to understand me was fine enough.</p>
<p>I took the time to take off my shirt and shorts, leaving myself in my boxers, what I always slept in. Neera seemed just fine with my change of attire, which kept me from being nervous about it. Before I set my shorts down though, I quickly emptied their pockets, placing Neera's Pokeball, my new ID, and the Past Shell on the couch next to my room key.</p>
<p>Just then, the microwave decided to go off. I quickly hurried over to it, pulling it out and replacing it with the other dish. After turning it on, I took the finished pasta to my Pokemon, setting it next to her. She looked at for a moment before waddling to it, taking a closer look. She nibbled at a noodle, gulping down the small piece she consumed. Her chewing mouth turned to a smile as she swallowed.</p>
<p>"Osha!" The Pokemon cheered, returning for seconds.</p>
<p>"Glad you like it." I smiled, acting like I knew what she had said. While she was having her meal, I decided to take a seat on the couch. The room here was much more quiet than the busy market... maybe I'd hear something in the past shell now? Eh, wouldn't hurt to try.</p>
<p>I placed the object against my head, listening for any odd sounds.</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>eeeeeee....</p>
<p>Oh? There was some strange call in there. I couldn't quite make it out, and it wasn't happening again. Interesting.</p>
<p>Just then, the microwave alerted me that it was done yet again. As I headed over, I placed the opened shell beside Neera. "Hey Neera, I think there's some strange voice inside the shell. See if you can hear it." I asked, catching her attention. As she turned her focus to the object, I continued to the microwave, pulling out the dinner. It was hot, but a few puffs onto its side made it cool enough to hold. I reached into one of the draws to grab a fork before heading back to the main room.</p>
<p>Neera was lying with her head in the Past Shell, with a look of confusion on her face. "Nothing, huh?" I asked.</p>
<p>"Osha." Neera nodded, moving her attention back to the food. I clamped the shell shut as I returned to the couch, taking a bite of my dinner. It was alright as far as TV dinners went, and I had nothing to complain about.</p>
<p>"So, what do you think of me, Neera?" I curiously asked, catching her attention again. "I'm new to this, so tell me if I do something wrong."</p>
<p>"Osha Osha!" The Pokemon happily cheered. She seemed pretty happy about it. Hopefully she wasn't being sarcastic.</p>
<p>Wanting to let my new partner eat uninterrupted, I took another bite of my food, finding it a bit too hot at the moment. I set it down beside me to take another look the Past Shell. Inside, it looked weathered and just as messy as the outside, riddled with dry seaweed. I picked off the dead foliage to clean the smooth stoned sphere, but even without the green, it was still rather..  decrepit.</p>
<p>Perhaps I could see if it was similar to my Pokeball. I grabbed Neera's ball, holding the two spheres together. The Shell was certainly the more heavy of the two, by a long shot. I gently tapped the two balls together, and that did nothing.</p>
<p>Perhaps it really was an ancient Pokeball. But upon closer inspection, I could see it lacked a button or rim that the ball had. Maybe that was an early design choice, but I wasn't convinced.</p>
<p>Maybe I could fit the Pokeball inside the Shell? I opened the shell, and tried to put the Pokeball inside it. Unfortunately, the ball was much larger than the Shell, and this wasn't going to work. Maybe I could put the shell into the Pokeball?</p>
<p>I pressed the switch gently to open the device without returning Neera. With it open, I placed the shell inside and closed the ball shut. It fit, but not soundly. When I shook the Pokeball, I could hear the Shell shaking around on the inside. I opened the ball, taking the shell out again.</p>
<p>Except I couldn't. The shell wasn't there anymore...?</p>
<p>I held the ball open, looking for any trace of the shell. There wasn't any evidence of it being there in the first place. Just the normal material.</p>
<p>The Pokeball felt like the Shell had never existed. Frustrated that I couldn't find out what had happened, I started examining the rest of the ball... and then I found it. A small patch of polished stone had... replaced a part of the Pokeball's outer shell. A piece not even the size of the nail on my ring finger. I pressed my skin against it, and sure enough, it was just polished stone. Nothing else was significant about it at all.</p>
<p>My food was probably getting cold, and I really didn't know what to do at this point. I shut the Pokeball as I grabbed my dinner, taking another bite. It was much better now, warm but not needing of multiple puffs to avoid a burn. Looking over at Neera, I could see her still muching away at the pasta. She must've eaten what would've been a spoonful, and I could tell her pace was slowing. She was enjoying herself at least. Hopefully, her Pokeball would be okay.</p>
<p>No, it was certainly not okay! I nearly spat out my mouthful of food as I saw her Pokeball, now almost completely covered in the stone. It was moving, crawling across its surface as if it was alive! I dared not to touch i; it could've been dangerous! Hopefully, it would stop soon... having an interesting-looking Pokeball was an alright result, I guess...</p>
<p>"Osha?" Neera called out. The Pokemon had taken notice to the Pokeball's transformation, and she was observing it from her bedside. Thankfully, she was smart enough not to go near it like this.</p>
<p>And just like that, it was over. The Pokeball was completely changed, resembling neither a Ball or the Shell. Its stone was unique, mystical even. It was a ball too; it had a rim and button, the later of which appeared to be some kind of gem. Apart from the loss of the artifact, this was alright.</p>
<p>As if the world was looking to give me the middle finger, the transformed Pokeball suddenly shot out a bright white light, transforming Neera into the same glow before sucking her back into the ball. My mouth hung open as I watched the last bits of light disappear inside the Pokeball before it shut.</p>
<p>"NEERA!" I screamed, diving for the Pokeball. Fearing I had done something awful, my hands frantically slid across the ball, looking for an answer. I got one in the way I should've expected: when I pushed down on the button, the ball shot open, releasing the same light out just in front of me. It collected and formed just like it had in the Lab, giving me hope that everything was fine.</p>
<p>But everything wasn't fine. When the light disappeared once again, something else was left behind. It was a curved shell of some kind, colored ebony black with white markings along its edges. It levitated up and down as I tried to understand what it was.<br/>"NIIII!" The creature screamed, startling me back onto the couch. The shell suddenly compressed, shutting with a loud clap. The object then fell onto the ground, and onto its side, where it sat motionless. I blinked a few times to check if I had lost my mind, but no, it really was there... whatever 'it' was.</p>
<p>"H-hello?" I asked, slowly getting up from the couch again. Even as I approached it, the object didn't move, letting me examine it more clearly. The shell was pointed, with its front facing away from me... the designs gave away where it folded. A horn at its front looked rather sharp, but it was doing no harm in its current position.</p>
<p>"Neera, is... is that you?" I asked. For a moment, it didn't react... until the shell opened ever so slightly.</p>
<p>"Fiiii?" The creature softly said in a questioning tone. Maybe it was just curious about the name... or maybe this really was her. But... how? What the fuck?</p>
<p>"Neera, if that's really you, I'm so sorry. I don't know what happened, I was just messing around with the Pokeball..." I nervously stuttered. The shell opened a bit more, but I still couldn't see inside it.</p>
<p>Hopeful that my Caster could find some information on what the hell was going on, I reached into my folded shirt to pull it out. I quickly began searching for transforming Pokeballs, giant black shells... nothing. Absolutely nothing. Of course the internet wouldn't have information the only time I needed it.</p>
<p>"Neera..." I asked, turning back to what I assumed was her. "Are... you still hungry? You still have a lot left."</p>
<p>"Niii...." The creature quietly said. It remained perfectly still... maybe I could give myself some soft proof. I walked over to the shell, taking a deep breath as I tried to pick it up. To my surprise, it wasn't heavy at all, and I was able easily lift it onto the bed beside the dish. Backing away from the creature, I watched as the shell opened for a brief moment as whatever was inside looked at the plate of food.</p>
<p>"It's going to get cold..." I softly said as I took a seat beside the shell. To my surprise, a hand slowly stuck out from the shell to grab a single noodle, before retreating back where it had come from. After a brief moment, it returned for another piece, still moving like it was disarming a bomb.</p>
<p>The fin on one side of the shell jittered back and forth as I assumed the creature was eating. While it was moving, I reached my hand down towards the shell's opening. I gripped at the smooth material, trying to open it further, but to no avail. The creature was actively resisting my attempts to open it, but it wasn't closing either. Perhaps this was as far as it could open, and I was hurting it?</p>
<p>"Sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you..." I hastily explained as I pulled my hands back away from the creature.</p>
<p>"Fini. Ni." The creature replied, its voice muffled from being inside the shell. It was distinctively feminine and velvety, and definitely more elegant than the one belonging to the Oshawott I had for only an hour or so before... wait!</p>
<p>"Hey, could you use that hand of yours to answer some questions? Maybe we can help each other figure out what happened, together." I suggested.</p>
<p>"Fiiii!" The creature happily cheered... it seemed happy to help me out, and who was I to deny it?</p>
<p>"Alright... how about I ask you some yes or no questions, and you give me a thumbs up or thumbs down?" I asked.  I waited for a moment, but the creature simply laid still, not answering or moving. Oh, I was an idiot. "Sorry. If you want to answer yes, raise your thumb up at the ceiling. You know, the finger not with the others. If you disagree, point it down. Okay?" The pitch black hand reached out, pointing its thumb upwards without closing the rest of its hand. That could do.</p>
<p>"Alright. So, first thing. Were you Neera the Oshawott just a few moments ago?" I asked. Without a hint of hesitation, the creature once again pointed its finger upwards. "Okay. I will call you Neera still, then. Is... that okay?" Another thumb to the air.</p>
<p>"Are you okay? I mean... you're not in pain, are you?" I kindly asked. Neera responded negatively, albiet slowly. "Are you mad at me?" Almost instantaneously, the hand thrusted downwards, over and over again. If she was trying to make a point, it had gotten across.</p>
<p>"Does that mean you like your new body?" I asked. This time, Neera withdrew her hand back inside her shell. "Is that a no?" No response. "Uhh... does that mean you like it?"</p>
<p>I waited for a minute or so, without a single response from her. She must've either been indifferent, or shy to admit that she did. "Hey, liking it isn't a bad thing at all." I happily said. "I think you look just fine. Your... shell is very pretty, with the white designs it has. Your fin and horn too."</p>
<p>"Fi-ni." Neera replied, in a tone that sounded like thank-you.</p>
<p>"If you want to stay like that, I'm all for it." I continued, despite having no idea if the change was permanent or if it could be reversed. "I would love to see the rest of you, if there's anything inside that shell of yours."</p>
<p>"Fiiiii..." Neera softly replied. Her shell suddenly jiggled around before settling back to its motionless rest. Was her body under that shell... not as pretty as the shell itself?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Neera, even if you don't look perfect now, I bet you look fine. I won't not like you because of how you look. I promise." I said, as kindly as I possibly could. Neera still didn't respond, and in my failed attempt, I couldn't help but sigh.</p>
<p>Then, the ebony shell rose up from the bed, correcting its orientation to how it had been before. Without a sound, it began to open, and I watched as the transformed Pokemon returned to the stance it once was at. Now that I could see it more clearly, the shell was just taller than me while opened, the bottom half's tip touching against the carpet.</p>
<p>"Ni..." Neera sighed as her two arms pushed something out of her shell. They were two long, thick strands of silky blue that came from the top of her shell, extending past the floor to nessle in trails of what had to be hair of some kind. She must have been very uncomfortable having those things tucked away.</p>
<p>"I like your hair." I honestly said, getting up from the covers. I badly wanted to just... sprint in front of her to see what was going on, but I really didn't want to make the creature uncomfortable. If her periwinkle blue hair was any indication of what she looked like, I had nothing to worry about as I walked around to see her front.</p>
<p>HOLY SHIT! I sharply inhaled as I took my first look-</p>
<p>Almost instantly after my reaction the Pokemon pulled her hair back inside her shell, shutting it as fast as she could.</p>
<p>"Wait, wait, wait! I'm sorry!" I stuttered, trying to fix my mistake. "You just looked a bit surprising is all. Please, I think you look great, from what little I saw."</p>
<p>"Fini..." Neera sadly said, pulling herself back open. Taking things more calmly than last time, I watched her webbed hands push her hair aside, finding their place on the carpet yet again. Neera still had a bipedal form, but it was much more human-like now. She was completely pitch black like her shell, save for a few white marks on her head and chest, and the periwinkle fins on her thighs.  Her eyes, forming a hill in her likely embarrassed mood, were a shining crystal blue, with big white spots on their top-outside corners that resembled eyebrows. She lacked a nose, but her lip-less mouth was curved into a small frown.</p>
<p>"It's alright. No need to b-be embarrassed." I stuttered, trying my best to keep my cool... looking at the rest of her body, she had large rings around her shoulders, like water-wings, still sharing that mystical black color. Each of her legs had a large fin on the front, while her feet... she didn't have them. The tips of her legs combined into the shell itself! And... now I had admired every inch of her body... except one.</p>
<p>She had breasts. Human-like ones, and they were big. They pushed against the pads on her shoulders, the white symbol on her chest forming a V straight into her cleavage.  Her... n-nipples were just as big, with that same light-blue shade. I gulped, trying to keep calm. I knew Pokemon had reproductive organs, but I'd never seen or heard anything like this! From what I could recall, very little Pokemon had breasts, Gardevoir being one of them, and they were well concealed and generally small in size but this... it was a good thing she had that huge shell to counterbalance those things!</p>
<p>"Fini?" Neera asked. Damn it-I was staring at her-a Pokemon's tits right in front of her!</p>
<p>"S-sorry, Neera. It's just that I've never seen breasts on a Pokemon before. You're... uhh... very gifted." I admitted. Neera's expression suddenly brightened, her eyes opening wide. They were like crystals, shiming and shining like diamonds. "They're very b-beautiful. Do you like them?"</p>
<p>"Fi-fi." Neera replied, holding out her hand with her thumb pointing to the ceiling. My nervousness was instantly broken as I had to release a chuckle.</p>
<p>"Just a tip, you want to close the rest of your hand when you do that." I explained, reaching forward. I held Neera's hand in one of my palms, closing her hand with the other. Her skin felt silky smooth and boneless. Once I had corrected her, the Pokemon examined what I had done, before holding both of her hands out the correct way. "You learn fast! I think this will work out well."</p>
<p>"Fini!" Neera happily cheered. The Pokemon suddenly launched itself forward, latching its arms around me. Now that she was my size, her hug prevented me from moving. If I had learned anything from trainer school, it was to never try to contest a Pokemon's strength, especially one that I was unfamiliar with. I would've been fine with her act of kindness, if her breasts weren't squishing against my bare chest... they were even smoother than her fingers, and much more supple. Hold on, don't objectify your new Pokemon! I reached my arm around to her chest, trying to at least move them to the sides so they wouldn't squish so hard.</p>
<p>I managed to get my hand onto her right breast, gripping it gently as I moved it to the side. I felt Neera's grip weaken as her smile opened up, her eyes narrowing.</p>
<p>"Fiii~" The Pokemon moaned. I had made a terrible mistake.</p>
<p>"Oh my goodness I'm sorry!" I shouted, moving my hands as far away from her as I could. The last thing I wanted was to have my Pokemon dislike me because I groped her after transforming her into what had to be another Pokemon! "I didn't mean to do that!"</p>
<p>"Niiiii..." Neera softly said, looking away. She released me, looking to her side. To my surprise, she lifted her legs upwards out of her shell, forming them into black feet, using them to step backwards. So she did have feet, but she could compress them into her shell-this wasn't the time to think about that! She was blushing too, obviously embarrassed that I had fondled her. Maybe I could salvage this.</p>
<p>"Neera... I... I..." I said, unable to fish up any more excuses. Dug yourself quite deep, huh Will?</p>
<p>"Fi. Ni!" Neera shouted, stepping forward to grab my chin, my eyes widening. She wasn't going to hurt me, was she...? "Fini-fi. Fini-ni-eee. Fin, fi fi ini. Fini!" Unable to understand her, I remained still.</p>
<p>"I-" I opened, only to instantly be interrupted. It happened so fast, I could barely tell what happened. One moment she was in front of me, the next, my view was obstructed by her hair as she had stepped forward... she was kissing me! Neera was kissing me... wow... unless this was some weird ritual Pokemon did, she really wasn't mad with me at all... it all made sense. I... I had always imagined what a relationship with a Pokemon would be like... why not find out? I closed my eyes, pressing my head against hers. Every time I touched her, she seemed softer. My arms wrapped around her back, pulling her closer to me as her fingers gently rubbed my bare skin. Likely satisfied, Neera pulled away, tears in her eyes.</p>
<p>"Guess I was asking the wrong questions." I smiled, running my hand through her hair. Each strand effortlessly flowed through my fingers.</p>
<p>"Fini~!" Neera cooed. The Pokemon happily bounced on the tips of her feet, her breasts jiggling as she did. Now that I could guiltless admire them... they were larger than any I'd ever seen, let alone on a Pokemon! They still fit her form, and her friendly personality... something I appreciated even more. "Ini!"</p>
<p>"Someone's happy!" I cheered.</p>
<p>"Fi-Fi-Fi!" Neera laughed, her arms shaking in excitement. The Pokemon's eyes suddenly widened, her gaze moving down. Looking down at what she found so interesting, I saw myself... more spesifically, my... penis, sticking right through the hole in my boxers. My hands darted in front of it, unfortunately not able to cover up all of it. Damn it... if anyone ever says having a big penis is a good thing, it isn't. Having twelve inches meant I had to be careful with getting aroused, else it would stick right out the top of my pants. Or my underwear, in this case.</p>
<p>"Heh... sorry, you're really good looking, and that sent me over the edge..." I nervously said. Neera's expression only brightened. The Pokemon once again stepped forward, pressing her body against me. Her face curled into a naughty smile.</p>
<p>"Fini~." Neera cooed, grinding herself against me. She didn't have much elegance, but she did have enthusiasm, all I really wanted. If she wanted sex, I wasn't going to deny her.</p>
<p>"I've gotta say, I didn't think I'd ever be doing this." I as-a-matter-of-factly said as I lifted Neera off the ground; she was just as light as she was in her shell as she was out of it... even though that made perfect sense on second thought. I carried my new partner to the bed, taking a seat on it as I held her in my arms. The Pokemon slithered out of my grasp as she got on her knees, her shell bending in ways I didn't think were possible.</p>
<p>Neera kneeled down in front of me, her horn inches from my face as she observed her prize. The Pokemon pressed her face against it, letting the stick of meat slap against her skin. She just let it dangle there, sliding across her skin. The tan-pink skin slowly began to turn peach as it inflated as much as it possibly could. Then, that webbed hand touched against my flesh, the elastic skin pressing against me. She then started doing her work...<br/>Pulling her hand back and forth like she was opening a door knob. Maybe, just maybe... she didn't know how this song and dance went.</p>
<p>"Not to be rude, but..." I spoke up, catching Neera's attention. I placed my hand just above hers, making her pause her motions. "...this is how you do it."</p>
<p>I placed my hand just slightly above hers, catching the girl's attention almost instantly. With a sigh, I latched onto my skin, slowly pulling it up and over my tip, before dragging it back down. Neera watched in awe as I repeated the motion a couple of times before she tried it herself. My bones chilled as I let out a sigh, as her touch nearly perfectly copied me. The Pokemon's expression was filled with wonder of seeing this alien technique have such a profound effect on me. She felt heavenly... a handjob felt so, so different than doing it myself. Although her skin was wonderful, just being able to lean back on my hands and feel my skin being tugged up and down... my head shivered as I let out a loud moan.</p>
<p>Neera had become a master after only a few moments, moving her fingers up and down the shaft at just the right speed. Even though it was as hard as it could be, my penis lazily swayed back and forth as it gently throbbed. Neera soon became aware of my motions, moving her head closer for a better look. Her hand suddenly stopped as she gazed at my shaft with innocent curiosity.</p>
<p>Then, the Pokemon pointed my shaft towards her head, bringing the tip into her mouth. I couldn't keep back another moan; it was too good! Her mouth was wet with thick liquids that coated me almost instantly. The girl began to gently suck while resuming a gentle pump of the rest of my shaft... pat on the back to me for giving her pasta instead of my dish.</p>
<p>More of my member began to disappear inside her lips, but there was no way she was going to get all of me in, not that I had an issue with it. Watching her glittering eyes down there, the cheer and enthusiasm in her motions... that was an experience in its own.</p>
<p>"You're doing wonderfully, Neera..." I moaned,</p>
<p>"Ffffwa!" Neera replied as she slid my penis out of her mouth, the length still drenched in saliva. She gave the underside a pair of licks, making my body tense as she gulped down every inch she could, returning to her work.<br/>"D-don't stop, b-but..." I stuttered, watching her head slowly bob in and out. "...I w-wanna say thank you... for forgiving me, and f-for doing this..."</p>
<p>Wrapping her arms around my hips, Neera accepted my thanks by slowing her movements, and letting me enjoy every moment of what was going on. Her mouth was cool, and her breath felt like a cool summer breeze on my skin. The Pokemon's lips formed a clean seal that soaked my skin in sticky saliva as it traveled, making my length shine.</p>
<p>As I continued moaning, I began to feel heat growing around my lower regions, and my skin begin to numb...</p>
<p>"Neera, I'm cumming soon..." I happily explained as she continued her work. "I'm g-gonna shoot out white, sticky stuff... you might not like its taste..."</p>
<p>My warning only seemed to edge her on as she continued. I began to shake as I felt my strength weaken, my hips thrusting forward just an inch as I reached my orgasm. Neera froze still as my semen shot onto her tongue. After a moment, she suddenly began gulping, throwing my semen down her belly along with the plentiful saliva oozing in her mouth.</p>
<p>"Mwaaah... that's all of it..." I cooed as Neera slowly withdrew her lips from me, not an trace of cum left on my shaft.</p>
<p>"Fiiii!" Neera happily cheered, licking her lips. She must have enjoyed it more than I thought she did.</p>
<p>"Haha... you're the best." I replied. She definitely needed a reward, and I knew exactly what I wanted to give her. I reached my hands, pulling the girl off the floor until she was face-to-face with me. My eyes slowly lowered from her eyes, to her breasts, and down to her</p>
<p>...her penis. Where did this thing come from? The two of us examined the two sticks in-between out collective legs. She was just as long and thick as mine, her penis just as smooth as the rest of her body. Its black surface was tinted in various shades by the periwinkle blood underneath it, giving it a very unique coloring... but it was a penis.</p>
<p>"Neera... did you have one of these when you were an Oshawott?" I asked. The Pokemon quickly shook her head, eyeing me with a look of concern. "Girls aren't supposed to have them..."</p>
<p>I looked down at Neera's penis, then back at her eyes. Then at her head, and then her real head.</p>
<p>"I-I'm not complaining." I continued. "Just a little surprised... but I think we can make this work just fine."</p>
<p>Moving away from my previous plan, rose to my feet, swinging around to place my partner on the bed, the lower half of her shell hanging in front of me. Neera quickly sunk her feet back into her shell as I got down on my knees, looking up at her.<br/>The view from down here... my heart began to beat faster and harder. The Pokemon had the full package, her testicles dangling just below her shaft... the two of them must've been hidden in a slit or something. The dick in between her thick thighs though... it really made me realize how gifted I really was... and her, by extension. No point wasting time now... Neera was begging for attention, her penis swaying back and forth... and my mind wanted to see how being on the other end felt.</p>
<p>I moved my hand up, grabbing onto her shaft... it felt rubbery, thick, and most certainly alive.</p>
<p>"Niiiiii~" Neera moaned, her rod twitching. This was a whole new sensation for her, and she was loving every second of it.</p>
<p>"Feels good, huh?" I asked, smiling. "You're gonna love it."</p>
<p>I began moving my fingers along her shaft, earning bigger and bigger moans from the girl. I thought this would be a lot less fun than receiving the attention, but man was I wrong. Her dick felt amazing to touch, the skin folding and throbbing in wonderful ways. Watching her expressions between the mountains of her breasts was even better.</p>
<p>I knew what I should do next, though. It was the least I could do, and she had earned it. But was I really about to give a blowjob? To a female Pokemon?</p>
<p>Yes. I was. No time like the present.</p>
<p>"O-okay. T-tell me if I'm d-doing this right!" I asked, pulling Neera's member in front of my lips. I closed my eyes... no. I was going to look at her. I placed the tip of her penis inside my mouth, feeling it with my tongue. It squirmed at my touch... and it tasted... great! Her dick tasted like water taffy, salty and sweet. Wanting more of it, I moved my head forward, sliding more of my partner's shaft into my lips.</p>
<p>Then, disaster struck as her member collided with something it shouldn't have. I quickly spat the ebony shaft out of my lips as I coughed, gasping for air.</p>
<p>"Fiiin?" Neera worriedly asked, placing one of her hands on my cheek.</p>
<p>"It's okay... I've just never done this before." I chuckled, collecting myself. I covered my teeth with my lips as I slid her inside again, moving more slowly this time. I made a good effort to see exactly where I couldn't take any more before stopping, taking a look up above me. From this angle, I could barely see her quivering lips whisper. I slowly pulled back, ready to start my motions.</p>
<p>Up until now, I had never realized how thick dicks where... Neera and I were average in the way of thickness, but my lips were nearly stretched open from her intrusion. That being said... having so much in my mouth felt great! It didn't feel uncomfortable at all, rather the opposite. My tongue still had plenty of room to enjoy her taste, while my teeth where miles away from biting her by mistake.</p>
<p>As I moved my lips back and forth, I tried to suck on her... but with my mouth so crowded, something else happened instead. My cheeks vibrated and slapped against her. Neera's squirming intensified just after I did so... it was easy enough for me to repeat! I gulped and chapped my mouth against her, moving my head to bend her shaft around.</p>
<p>"Fiiiiiiiniiii!" Neera cooed, arcing her back. With no warning whatsoever, a pulse shot from her body, up her shaft and towards her tip. It ended in a thick shot of cum across my mouth... it tasted like Pecha berries! I pulled my lips to her tip as more pulses shot their loads into my mouth... I couldn't resist gulping them down. Soon enough, the girl's penis began to shrink, lazily drooping out of my mouth. It was just as shiny as mine now.</p>
<p>"Hahaha... wow..." I weakly laughed, pulling myself to my feet. Neera suddenly fell onto her back, her hands spread out of her shell as her mouth hung open.</p>
<p>"Aww..." I cooed, slowly wrapping my arms around her again. I dragged her gently onto the closest pillow, setting her shell against it. Once she was settled, I crawled over her, taking the spot next to her... thank goodness for the queen-sized bed...</p>
<p>"Fiiii..." Neera whispered, rolling over towards me. Our soft, wet members bounced against one another before settling onto the sheets once more.</p>
<p>"Welcome to the team, Neera." I happily said, making her smile widden. I brought my arm around her waist as she did the same to me. This was never a position I thought I ever so badly wanted to be in... and here I was. My transformed, gifted-in-more-ways-than-one Pokemon and I cuddling naked in bed together.</p>
<p>"Hey, Neera." I whispered. "Do you love me?"</p>
<p>The Pokemon quickly raised her double thumbs-up, making me blush one last time as sleep began to take me.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. The Lover</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The moments where I considered waking up probably made the top of the list for my least favorite parts of the day. It was this thing... I never knew if I was well rested until I was awake for a bit, and by then, it was too late to try and catch another hour or so.</p>
<p>I opened my eyes, though. The ones staring back at me were all the encouragement I needed.</p>
<p>"How long have you been up?" I quietly asked, just in case Neera was sleeping with her eyes open.</p>
<p>"Fiii." The creature replied. Her drawn-out speech likely was her saying 'not that long'.</p>
<p>"Well, good morning." I smiled. The creature closed her eyes as she tilted her head towards me, our lips meeting in the middle. The night hadn't taken any of her legendary enthusiasm away, her head slowly swaying against me. As for myself... I was liking this more and more every moment. We pulled away to admire each other for a moment, before our eyes trailed down between our legs. To no surprise, my shaft had shrunken down, while hers had disappeared inside her body, not even leaving a slit.</p>
<p>"You're a very good kisser." I whispered. "I hope I'm alright."</p>
<p>The Pokemon raised her right hand into a thumbs-up, making me laugh. I knew it was our established way of talking, but... it was still a bit silly.</p>
<p>"Now then..." I continued as I rose up, sitting on the bed alongside Neera, who sat beside me in her shell. "What do you say we get to the bottom of the new you?"</p>
<p>"Ini~!" Neera cooed, leaning back in her shell. The smooth skin between her legs suddenly started to part, the periwinkle-laced ebony penis slowly poking out, slowly leaving its flaccid state.</p>
<p>"That's not what I meant, but I love your enthusiasm." I replied.</p>
<p>"Iiiii...." Neera sadly replied, tucking her member and its two accompaniments away. It was amazing how her cock and balls fit inside her without any sign of them existing, and yet they looked like a natural part of her body when in use. Now that I think about it, I never thought I'd be so apt to a penis on a woman. But hey, being bisexual wasn't a bad thing at all. Did this count as bisexuality? Probably should stop asking more questions and start answering the ones I already have.</p>
<p>I stepped off the bed, grabbing my Holo Caster. There weren't any new messages on it, so the Professor hadn't sent me anything yet. Good, less things to focus on. First thing was first. I opened my browser, and searched for 'Fini' since it was the thing she seemed to be repeating, as Pokemon did. The search lit up with a plethora of results, all about 'Tapu Fini'. I opened the page for the Pokemon League Wiki, a site I had used far too many times in Trainer school.</p>
<p>Strangely enough, the page didn't have a picture for the Pokemon. In its place was a picture draw on brown paper... I held my Caster in Neera's direction. Although the image was crude, the depicted Pokemon was most certainly her. The drawing was even censored in the part I expected.</p>
<p>Now for the page itself. Tapu Fini is a Water and Fairy type Legendary Pokemon...</p>
<p>...legendary? Legendary?!? I knew all too well what that term meant... I had spent two year studying Ancient Hoenn History to gain that knowledge. They were Pokemon like Groudon and Kyogre, practically gods in their abilities and strength. And I had just turned my partner into one!</p>
<p>"Neera... you're a legendary Pokemon." I slowly explained, her eyes widening. I calmed myself down as I begun to read the section aloud. "Tapu Fini is a Water and Fairy type Legendary Pokemon. Native to the Alola Region, this Pokemon is known as the Guardian of Poni Island. It is referred to as one of the Land Spirit Pokemon."</p>
<p>"Fiii..." Neera softly exclaimed, looking down at her body with wonder in her eyes.</p>
<p>"Not outwardly helpful to humans... my ass..." I grinned, making Neera's smile begin to grow again. "...it seeks to purify those in mind and body by creating mystical fog that it can use to put humans and Pokemon into a self-destructive trance. These mists are commonly seen in Poni Island, but Tapu Fini has rarely been seen, and never on recorded history. It supposedly has a purple shell, with light blue fins and black skin. Hmm... you don't have any purple on you at all. And you're not from Poni Island, are you?"</p>
<p>Neera gave me a thumbs down, adding more mystery to the equation.</p>
<p>"At least we know what you are. Thankfully you seem quite okay with being transformed into a Legendary." I cheered. "Now then, let's see if I can find out exactly why you became this way."</p>
<p>This time, I started a search for Past Shells. The results showed mostly passage from one website, Cheshire Expeditionary Society's page. The format of their page was a lot more detailed than the very short info on Tapu Fini. Starting off... Past Shells are ancient artifacts known to exist in the Vibreal Region, although they have surfaced elsewhere in other regions around the world. They are believed to be ancient artifacts created by the Tazmarine  Kingdom thousands of years ago. Although their purpose is unknown, their numbers and lack of use likely points to these objects being a form of ancient currency or art of some kind.</p>
<p>Not satisfied with that explanation, I quickly went back to check other pages. Through news sites, travel sites and other media, nothing ever mentioned any sort of effect at all, let alone something so... amazing! Was I the only one to think of putting one in a Pokeball? There was no way that was true. Maybe... maybe the Professor could help me.</p>
<p>Going into my contact history, I pulled Drolpil into my active call window, ringing him. The Caster wasn't even able to ring twice before it was picked up, the man's upper body materializing on the screen.</p>
<p>"Morning, William." Dropil said, his arms swaying at his side.</p>
<p>"Hey, Professor. Are you busy?" I asked.</p>
<p>"Nope, just walking to the lab." He replied. "If you're asking about your 'dex functionality, I was just about to send it over."</p>
<p>"It's not that. I just something I wanted to ask you about... it's pretty strange, though." I continued.</p>
<p>"Well, do tell. I'm sure I'll be able to help a little bit." Drolpil exclaimed.</p>
<p>"You remember my Oshawott, Neera?"</p>
<p>"Of course I do. Did something happen?"</p>
<p>"Yes. Before I explain though, do you know what Past Shells are?"</p>
<p>"Yup. They're pretty cool nick-knacks."</p>
<p>"Well, I was feeding her dinner last night, and I was just... fiddling around with one. I placed it inside Neera's Pokeball, and it... it combined with it. It sucked her back in, and when I opened it again... she was, and still is, a Legendary Pokemon."</p>
<p>"That's... interesting." Dropil stated as he grabbed his chin. "I've tried placing them in Pokeballs before back when I was researching them awhile back, but I didn't get those results. Is she okay? Neera, I mean."</p>
<p>"Neera's fine. She really liked her new body." I explained.</p>
<p>"Mind if I take a look? Pardon my disbelief." Drolpil asked. I tabbed out of the window to turn my Caster's setting from Hologram to Video.</p>
<p>"Sorry about my attire, I just woke up." I explained.</p>
<p>"I'm not squeamish, no problemo. Wouldn't mind even if you were naked, long as you had a good reason to be. That being said, please keep your clothes on." Dropil advised.</p>
<p>"I'm not going to take them off." I explained, looking over at Neera. Her penis had vanished again, but there was no hiding her breasts. "But here she is "</p>
<p>I turned the Caster around to face Neera, who curiously eyed the Professor. I could here the man sharply inhale as he saw her... guess my reaction to her wasn't uncommon.</p>
<p>"C-could you please w-wave to me? Just so I know you're not pulling my leg with some elaborate prop..." Dropil stammered.</p>
<p>"Fini-fi!" Neera replied, her smile beaming as she waved toward the device. I turned the Caster back towards me, seeing the shocked look on the Professor's face.</p>
<p>"I can't believe it!" Drolpil puffed. "Oh my Arceus.. sorry, getting too excited..."</p>
<p>"It's my bad, I should've asked her to cover her breasts." I replied.</p>
<p>"I don't mind it, and that's not what I'm excited about!" Drolpil continued. "Here, I'm sending you the Pokedex functionality now... please, scan her for me!"</p>
<p>The Caster lit up to signify the new message sent, which I quickly opened. It was highly professional, but I knew exactly what I needed to press and what to ignore. The offical Pokedex, while adapted into many forms, was only available in its complete form to Trainers... I only had a trial version in Trainer School. Still, I knew what the scanning function was, and how to use it. I put the Holo Caster inbetween Neera and I, waiting for it to scan her. After a brief moment, it clicked, awarding me with a plethora of data and facts about her.</p>
<p>Tapu Fini   Water/Fairy  Level 5   Trainer: William   Ability: ERROR    Known Moves: Misty Terrain, Heal Pulse, Haze, Mist, Withdrawl, Water Gun, Confide, Nature Power, Fairy Wind.</p>
<p>Neera definitely acquired some new abilities with her new body. I always knew the Pokedex for its ability to retroactively recognize the names of Pokemon among other things, but I had never seen it have an error before.</p>
<p>"Yep, I got it!" Drolpil explained as I tabbed back into the chat window. "Wow, this is amazing! Thanks for reaching out to me on this!"</p>
<p>"No problem, but I'm guessing you're clueless about the Past Shell being the cause?" I asked.</p>
<p>"I have a few guesses, but you can never be sure. I'll be running tests throughout the day to see if I can find a similar result. Can't hurt to try, at the very least." Drolpil explained.</p>
<p>"And... I'm fine with having her?" I asked.</p>
<p>"What? Of course you are!" Drolpil explained. "There's no laws against owning a Legendary Pokemon, especially one that is willing to let you be its trainer. And according to Neera's info... she's still the same level she was before, and her moves and statistics are fine. You're still going to have to work hard to beat the League, even with her at your side."</p>
<p>"Glad to hear it." I replied. "Having to go through Trainer School for me to breeze through sounds boring."</p>
<p>"There are regulations for a reason!" Drolpil smiled. "Now then, I'm going to get back to you later on this Past Shell discovery if I find any results. See you later!"</p>
<p>"See you." I replied. I put the Caster into sleep mode as I got up, shrugging. "Guess we don't have a clue how this happened. Honestly, I really don't care, because you look amazing."</p>
<p>"Ini!" Neera cheered, pulling her feet out of her shell. She raised her arms in the air, stretching herself. She was very curvy, definitley putting most of the human females I'd seen to shame. Maybe there was something I could do to tease her back...</p>
<p>A knock echoed through the room, breaking my thought process instantly. Maybe my assumption about the janitor wasn't too far off.</p>
<p>"Stay here for a bit, okay? Just incase our visitor isn't too keen to you." I whispered, fearing the girl might take offense to that request. Fortunatley, she frantically nodded, watching me as I headed to the door. Another pair of knocks sounded just as I turned the knob, finding a familiar face behind it.</p>
<p>"Hey, Isaac." I lazily said.</p>
<p>"Hey! Was your room okay?" Isaac asked.</p>
<p>"It was great. Best rest I've had in my life." I answered, more honestly than he probably thought.</p>
<p>"Glad to hear it." The man replied. "I brought a friend along with me, so we can meet your first Pokemon."</p>
<p>Out from the hallway slithered Synergy, the Pokemon I long knew as Isaac's main Pokemon and partner. She was a Serperior, raised from the day he had started being a Trainer himself.</p>
<p>"Hello there." I waved. "Sorry about the attire, I just woke up."</p>
<p>"Did I wake you?" Isaac asked</p>
<p>"No, I was just chatting with the Professor." I admitted.</p>
<p>"Cool. Is he getting your choices ready or something?" The man curiously asked.</p>
<p>"Actually, no. There's someone I'd like you to see." I replied. It had hit me: he was going to see Neera eventually, especially if I was going to go adventuring with her. No point in hiding her... not that I wanted to.</p>
<p>"Oh, let me try and guess." Isaac quickly asked, his Pokemon coiling beside him. "Umm... Torchic?"</p>
<p>"Nope." I responded.</p>
<p>"Well, I give up." Isaac conceded.</p>
<p>"After one guess, you're done?" I smiled.</p>
<p>"Well, I could run down the list of promoted starter Pokemon like a lame-ass." Isaac responded.<br/>
"Point taken." I replied.</p>
<p>"Alright, let us see 'um." Isaac asked.</p>
<p>"Hey Neera, someone wants to see you!" I called out, turning around. Neera peaked her head into the hallway, looking at the three of us. She blinked a few times as she examined Isaac in particular.</p>
<p>"Fi-ni?" Neera curiously asked. She turned, floating off the bed and to my side, catching the eyes of our two guests. Isaac in particular lost all the cheerfulness in his expression as his eyes practically popped out of his head.</p>
<p>"Are you kidding me?" Isaac quickly asked, unable to look away.</p>
<p>"What?" I kindly asked.</p>
<p>"William, I don't think you know what that is." Isaac explained.</p>
<p>"She's a Tapu Fini named Neera, and she's my first Pokemon." I explained. "You wanted to meet her?"</p>
<p>"H-how?" Isaac stuttered.</p>
<p>"It's weird, and I was just talking to the professor about it." I started, explaining what had happened with the Past Shell and my used-to-be Oshawott. Even Synergy watched me speak with her expression filled with wonder. "But that's about everything."</p>
<p>"So... you basically just got lucky." Isaac nodded.</p>
<p>"I guess?" I shrugged.</p>
<p>"Fini!" Neera cheered, latching onto my arm.</p>
<p>"Yes, I got very lucky." I repeated, giving in to what the girl likely wanted me to admit.</p>
<p>"I'd say so!" Isaac nearly yelled. "I spent a year studying the Pokemon you just got, and you'll probably be the only one to have one, ever."</p>
<p>"There was a class about Tapu Fini?" I curiously asked.</p>
<p>"Alolan History, but enough about that. She's... very nice." Isaac continued.</p>
<p>"I think I need to buy her a top or something, though." I suggested.</p>
<p>"Fini!" Neera angrily interjected as she squeezed down on my arm.</p>
<p>"Woah, woah, okay! No top, sorry!" I hastily replied, calming the Pokemon down.</p>
<p>"Serrr." Synergy curiously asked.</p>
<p>"Fi. Fini." Neera replied. She and Synergy were probably having a conversation which neither Isaac or I were getting insight on.</p>
<p>"She really likes that body." Isaac commented.</p>
<p>"I think we can just call that body hers." I responded. "Her chest won't be a problem, will it?"</p>
<p>"It's not subtle, I'll say that much." Isaac replied. "You're not going to get in trouble for it, though, don't worry about that. You seem alright around her, though."</p>
<p>"I think she looks cute." I honestly answered.</p>
<p>"Eh, yeah." Isaac replied. Knowing him, he was trying not to seem like he was affected by the Pokemon's breasts. His Pokemon's eyes, though, had definitely widened at my response. Maybe Neera had told the Grass Type that we were... closer. No harm in it, I guess.</p>
<p>"So. What's the plan for today?" I asked.</p>
<p>"If you're still up to it, I was looking to give you a few pointers on battling before you get started." Isaac explained. "Then we could look for some new clothes for you, or something."</p>
<p>"Of course I'm up for it!" I cheered. "Why wouldn't I be?"</p>
<p>"I probably would've had a heart attack if I was in your place." Isaac responded. "But I'm glad to hear you're still up for it. Grab what you need for today, and meet me at Heighd Park, okay?"</p>
<p>"I'm guessing I can just find that on my Holo Caster." I stated. "Alright. I'll get dressed and get on my way."</p>
<p>"Do you want us to wait for you?" Isaac asked.</p>
<p>"Go on ahead. We'll catch up to you." I happily said.</p>
<p>"Don't be too long!" Isaac shouted as he and his partner started heading towards the elevators.</p>
<p>"I'm just getting dressed, I'll only be a moment." I responded, shutting the door. Putting on my clothes would take that moment... a kiss, a little less.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Running and Heighding</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After grabbing my Holo Caster, Neera's Pokeball, the room key, and throwing away the... not-so-finished meals, my Tapu Fini and I left our room for the day. The hotel staff were likely awake by now, so it was time to see what they thought of my partner.</p><p>"Going down, sir?" Asked the woman manning the elevator as the two of us entered it.</p><p>"Yes, please." I responded. She nodded, pressing the button to head to the lobby. The lift hummed to life as it carried us down the enormous tower.</p><p>"That's a very cute Pokemon you have, sir." The woman genuinely explained.</p><p>"Thanks. We're headed out to do some practice." I explained.</p><p>"You must be a trainer then. Enjoying the city?"</p><p>"It's very unique, I have to say. A good place to call home."</p><p>"I hope you find it above your expectations." The woman nodded as the lift pulled to a stop. She gave Neera and I a wave as we stepped out, a group of passengers taking our place.<br/>Neera followed beside me as we left the building. Using my Holo Caster, we traced the map to find the path through the city we needed to take. I briefly considered stopping for breakfast, but knowing Isaac, he had probably gotten some for us... it would be rude to let his kindness go to waste.</p><p>Other people on their way to and fro treated the two of us exactly the opposite of how I thought they would: completely normally. Sure, they would look at Neera for a moment or two, but the only interactions from people who passed us by were waves or hellos. Maybe they didn't know what she was, or rather, they didn't find her to be worth losing their minds over. A huge plus in my book. Maybe Isaac and I had just overreacted.</p><p>The road had quickly become almost a ramp at this point, but thankfully, I was well fit to take it on. Neera, meanwhile, floated over it without a care in the world. I took a moment to check my Holo Caster again... we were just about there.<br/>And sure enough, there it was. A grassy field carved naturally into the side of the mountains, Heighd Park welcomed us with a quaint sign. The park itself was far from featureless, with large sets of benches sitting beneath trees, and a stone stage overlooking the lagoon. The sight from it had to be amazing... it already was from here! And to the city's namesake, the lagoon was shining a light blue.</p><p>"Hey guys!" A voice yelled. It could only be Isaac... but where was he? I wasn't too good with tracing voices... but maybe I could see him. The park was quite lively, with most of the residents just enjoying the weather. I could see a couple doing battle in the distance, though.</p><p>Wait, Neera had run off! She had zoomed away... she was heading straight towards Isaac and Synergy. Of course.</p><p>"You made good time, I just sat everything down." Isaac explained. "I picked up some muffins on my way."</p><p>"What flavor?"</p><p>"Peacha Berry, but we can eat after we do some training first. If that's fine with you."</p><p>"Sure. You alright with that, Neera?" I asked. The Pokemon rose up one of her thumbs with a smile on her face.</p><p>"If only Synergy had hands." Isaac joked. His Serperior nearly tackled him, brushing the two leaves on its midsection against him as violently as you could drag a pillow across someone's face. "Bigger hands, sorry!"</p><p>"But yes. We're ready when you are." I explained. "What should we do?"</p><p>"You should watch! From what I remember, you said you went through the Academy two years ago?" </p><p>"That's right."</p><p>"Well, you know how much things have changed since then."</p><p>"Unfortunately." I replied. "Spend so much time studying how a Pokemon Storage System works, only for it to be outlawed. Hated those classes."</p><p>"You know those things were dinosaurs anyways." Isaac smiled. "They look like fucking arcade cabinets."</p><p>"They do, but what's your point?"</p><p>"Well, many, but not all Pokemon Trainers had or have more than six Pokemon. You might too, but it's fine to just stick with a few. Since we don't use boxes anymore, I wanted to give you a pointer." Isaac explained. "You don't have to catch a Pokemon to use it in battle, as long as it likes you. Instead of catching an Ice Type for the city gym, then neglecting it, you should find one, and ask for its help."</p><p>"That's a very good point, actually."</p><p>"Yup! I'd also say that you should save your Pokeballs for permanent team members." Isaac recommended. "For instance, my team is currently my Serperior here, a Zoroark, and a Pikachu. However, I got my first badge with the help of a Ribombee. I keep the little guy around my house, but he's technically wild."</p><p>"Cool. What's next?" I asked. I knew a lot about battles already, of course... but it wouldn't hurt to have a few pointers from someone experienced.</p><p>"Battles. First off, you know this, but I'm gonna say it anyways." Isaac stated. "Six is the magic number. The League set that rule for a reason: battles become swap-fests otherwise."</p><p>The man took a few steps to my left, looking forwards as if facing an opponent.</p><p>"Now for some stuff they didn't teach you in the Academy." Isaac started. "First thing: battles aren't you barking orders at your Pokemon. You are a team. Each of you has a role to win. Pokemon, of course, fight against the opponent. Trainers tell them what to do. Pokemon have the intelligence to act on their own. However, battles look much different to the Pokemon than the Trainer. We have to give commands that they don't think of in the heat of battle, and they need to trust in our decision making."</p><p>"But nobody's perfect."</p><p>"No, they aren't. You need to understand that you're both going to make mistakes. Don't get distracted by them, learn instead." Isaac explained. He pointed in front of him, and his partner quickly slithered in front of him, off to his left. "Alright. First thing's first. A golden rule to Pokemon battles: never stand directly behind your Pokemon, ever. If you do, you're the only one to blame if you get hit by an attack."</p><p>"Isn't attacking trainers illegal?"</p><p>"Yes, if you do it on purpose." Isaac explained. "If a move doesn't harm the trainer, however, it's fair game. You can use Sand Attack to block their view of their Pokemon for a time, but you can't just use Sand Attack on the trainer. However, if, for say, they use Ice Beam and Synergy dodges out of the way, it's my responsibility to get out of the way too. People can take Pokemon attacks without too much harm, yeah, but getting electrocuted several times in a battle doesn't feel very good."</p><p>"No, they don't." I responded. Out of all the types, fire type moves were the worst. Flamethrower to the chest is probably the most awful thing I've ever had the displeasure of experiencing.</p><p>"Now then, as for fighting itself. Each side takes turns using moves against the other. Faster Pokemon, of course, will be able to attack first." Isaac explained, turning towards Synergy. "The first moments of a battle are the most important. When the battle starts, look to see which side appears to be the fastest. If your side has a lead in giving orders or in moving, order moves to deal damage to the opponent, and watch how your opponent reacts. Synergy, Vine Whip the ground."<br/>His Pokemon instantly replied as a grassy tentacle lashed out from the serpent's back, striking the grass in front of it. The impact knocked a bit of dirt up.</p><p>"If your opponent is faster, you can do two things. Either keep on the offensive and try to outdo their attack, or go on the defense." The man continued. "Personally, I prefer defense. To be able to give orders efficiently, Trainers use two commands: dodge and counter. Dodge is obvious, get out of the way attack. However, if you're looking for a riskier approach, you can order a counter. Your Pokemon should try to stop the incoming attack with one of its own. Dodging works to a degree, but it becomes less effective if your opponent can read how your Pokemon tends to dodge. Dodging is also much less effective against moves were your opponent makes contact, because they can just simply follow your Pokemon's motion."</p><p>"And countering seems like the better option when faced with contact attacks." I guessed.</p><p>"Yes. You can also order a specific move to be used, but remember: that takes time. The faster you are, the more chance your Pokemon has of being successful. Dodge!" Isaac shouted. Synergy quickly darted her body against the ground, slithering into her stance on the opposite side of Isaac. "On the defense, you can make as many orders as you want, but on the offense, you should only make a few. That way, you can switch to defense for when you are attacked. Switching between offense and defense after the first turn is key to making sure your Pokemon don't get tired, and can stay in the fight as long as they can. It's very easy to tire out an over-aggressive opponent."</p><p>"This is a lot more information than I was taught." I remarked. "But I'm glad you've told me it."</p><p>"I'm not finished!" Isaac cheered. "You can also use up your offensive turn to switch to another Pokemon, but know that they need to be ready to defend when they take the stage." Isaac explained. "You also can concede a Pokemon instead of letting them faint. There's no point in doing another attack with a Pokemon that's barely conscious. Conceding them counts for them having been fainted in that battle, meaning you can't use them. However, it's very useful for doing multiple battles on the road, and for keeping your Pokemon healthy."</p><p>"Are you going to concede to the grass for the demonstration?" I jokingly asked.</p><p>"I guess." Isaac shrugged. "I give up, grass. You're beaten my one and only Pokemon. I should've brought the others with me, then maybe we would've had a chance."</p><p>"Seeeer." Synergy softly hissed, moving back beside her trainer as he walked back to us.</p><p>"That was a lot more helpful than I thought it would be. Why didn't they teach that in the Academy?" I asked.</p><p>"Because battles only became this refined as of late. People used to think dodging and countering took up too much of the Pokemon's stamina, but I really don't get that." Isaac explained. "Anyways, did you catch that, Tapu Fini?"</p><p>"Fiiiii!" Neera happily cheered.</p><p>"I'd tell you if I understood myself." I nervously replied, quickly grasping for another topic. "Are there other trainers in the park?"</p><p>"Looking to try some battles already?" Isaac asked.</p><p>"Hey, I wanna see how well we can do."</p><p>"Well, I'd be glad to accept your challenge."</p><p>"You'll destroy me." I replied, knowing the man was already a ways along in the Vibreal League.</p><p>"No worries, I'll use something you'll not have huge issues with. You said she's still the normal level for starters... even though I don't trust those numbers." Isaac explained.</p><p>"Eh, sure. I'll do it." I shrugged.</p><p>"Ini!" Neera happily added, floating in front of me. Isaac and I backed away from each other, and as I had just been told, I stood just to the left of what would have been directly behind her.<br/>"Synergy, you're going to be sitting out of this one." Isaac explained, his Serperior getting behind him. He reached into his shorts, pulling out a blue Pokeball- a Great Ball. He pushed the switch on the front, pointing in front of Neera as white energy shot out from it, forming into a yellow mouse Pokemon: Pikachu.</p><p>"I didn't know you liked Pikachu." I joked, knowing it was one of his favorite Pokemon.</p><p>"Oh, shut up." Isaac replied. "Amelia, Tackle!"</p><p>Thankfully, and not surprisingly, I knew what tackle was. The mouse started rushing forward, far faster than its size would have you believe at first sight.</p><p>"Neera, use Water Gun!" I ordered, remembering the move from her Pokedex entry. The Pokemon quickly reeled back as it began to shoot the attack, only for the Pikachu to suddenly stop in its tracks, launching a small jolt of electricity towards her. Neera fired just in time for the jolt to connect with it, stopping her Water Gun and electrocuting her. My Pokemon dashed backwards, shaking itself from the blow.</p><p>"Oh, and another thing." Isaac spoke up. "It's totally allowed that a Pokemon will use a move other than the one you told it to. Think of it like a secret code. That being said, don't act off what I'm saying. Pay attention to what your opponent's Pokemon is doing over everything else, and don't act early."</p><p>"Yeah, thanks for that." I replied. "Neera, Fairy Wind!"</p><p>Neera stepped back as she twirled around, releasing bits of pink energy into the air. A gust of wind picked them up into the air, like petals in the wind towards the Pikachu.</p><p>"Dodge!" Isaac yelled, the Pokemon quickly sprinting out of the attack's way. Isaac too dove out of the way just as the attack passed, letting the little blips of energy fade away into nothingness. That didn't work.</p><p>"Hit it with Spark!" Isaac shouted. His Pikachu once again began running towards Neera, but this time, I took my time. The Pokemon seemed to be slowing down as it got closer... he was trying to trick me into thinking he was using Tackle!<br/>"Neera, charge forward and ram it with your shell!" I asked. The Pokemon quickly retracted inside of the black shell, charging forward right as the Pikachu stopped. The leftovers of the electric attack were grounded as Neera slammed herself, full force, against the Pikachu. The impact sent it skidding across the grass before it pulled itself back onto all fours.</p><p>"Nice! You're learning fast." Isaac commented.</p><p>"Thanks." I responded, thinking of what to do next. Isaac had his system down, and it wasn't like I could create my own in the middle of a battle... wait, I got it. "Neera, wing it! Do what you think is right!"</p><p>I expected a small bit of hesitance, but I wasn't going to get any. Neera, still encased within her shell, charged forward. The Pikachu prepared itself as she neared, waiting patiently for its Trainer's command.</p><p>"Dodge!" Isaac shouted again. The Pikachu quickly darted to the side, letting the Tapu Fini scrape her shell on the ground to slow herself to a stop. She opened it, watching her opponent carefully.</p><p>"Don't worry, you're doing great!" I shouted, brightening Neera's expression.</p><p>"For a first-time battler, she is doing fabulously." Isaac commented. "Now then... Amelia, use Tackle!"</p><p>Once again his Pokemon began charging forward, gaining speed steadily. This time, I watched the grass as it passed, the blades bending less and less as it charged forward... it was gaining speed this time. But was it really a Tackle, or something else?</p><p>"Back up and use Fairy Wind!" I yelled, Neera quickly putting my words into action as she darted backwards, twirling around before sending her barrage towards the Pokemon. The energy that hit startled the Pokemon, sending it spinning towards Neera, who floated aside to avoid being struck. Suddenly Amelia stood back up, throwing her body against Neera's body before jumping off her, and back onto the grass.</p><p>"Just because they're down, it doesn't mean they're out!" Isaac shouted. I should've told Neera to keep her distance, but there was no time to think about that. Neera was starting to show signs of wear, and so was Amelia.</p><p>"Neera, it's all you!" I shouted, the Pokemon instantly reacting to her ability to chose. She once again concealed herself inside her shell before charging foward.</p><p>"Dodge!" Isaac ordered, his Pokemon lunging out of the way of the shell once again. Just as he passed by, Neera suddenly cracked open her shell, revealing her water-filled mouth. In one swift motion, she fired her attack at the Pikachu before charging forward, clamping it inside of the shell with her!</p><p>"Amelia!" Isaac shouted, watching the shell shake. It then twirled around, opening into a beautiful shower of pink petals that launched the Pikachu into the air, sending it crashing it down against the grass. The energy harmlessly landed like rain around it as the Pokemon raised one of its paws.</p><p>"Piiiii..." Amelia moaned, before her head plopped down onto the dirt, her eyes shutting. Isaac quickly opened her Pokeball, sending her back inside it.</p><p>"Wow. That was a close match!" Isaac happily cheered, walking up to me. He held out a hand, which I gladly shook.</p><p>"I didn't think it would go down that quickly." I commented.</p><p>"Battles can last anywhere between one turn and twenty, even with each side being the same level." Isaac stressed. "All you need to do is to land good hits. And I have to say, Neera's a smart Pokemon, and she's not as overpowered as I thought she would be. Still strong, though. You should work that shellwork into your commands. You can pull off cool stuff with that!"</p><p>"Thanks. Good job, Neera!" I cheered as my Pokemon floated back over to me. She was breathing a bit heavily, but otherwise, she was in very high spirits.</p><p>"F...fini!" Neera puffed, taking a few much needed deep breaths. The way her moist skin shone in the sunlight, especially across her breasts was... ahem. It was nice.</p><p>"Of course, there's a lot more to learn." Isaac happily said. "But I think you should learn from experience."</p><p>"Sounds like a plan to me." I replied. "So, how many Pokedollars do you owe me?"</p><p>"Will a few muffins do?" Isaac asked.</p><p>"Eh." I lazily replied. "I think we can settle for them."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Field Training</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"See you guys later!" Isaac shouted as he gave us one last wave goodbye. The man was quick to leave after we had finished our meal; he had to go somewhere. Not that being alone was a problem, that just left Neera and I with some time to train. After she was done, of course.</p><p>"How were they?" I kindly asked as the Pokemon finished the last of her meal.</p><p>"Niii." Neera replied, smiling.</p><p>"I wonder what your favorite kind of food is." I thought out loud. Water types were the oddest of the bunch when it came to diets. My mind says fish, but... she's technically part fish. Maybe since she was a Fairy type, it would be some kind of sweet. It wasn't too important, but nonetheless fun to think about.</p><p>"Fii?" Neera said as she floated off the ground, looking around. A good way to tell me she was ready, I guess.</p><p>"Alright, alright. Let's go and find someone then." I nodded, getting to my feet. The dancing grass brushed against my shoes as I looked around. Things were getting a bit busier, but most of the people here weren't trainers. A lot were enjoying some food just as we were, while others were gathered around the stage... I could hear some kind of singing.</p><p>Wait, there! Off in the distance, a young man was talking with what had to be his Pokemon. It was a little purple ball of slime... a Goomy! I knew the Pokemon well; my neighbor's Goodra made a name for itself for spreading its slime everywhere it went. Luckily, the pre-evolution might be a sufficient challenge... even though Neera had an advantage against it because of her typing, there was a high possibility it was a higher level than her.</p><p>"At this rate, we'll be off to Expedition City in no time!" The guy cheered as Neera and I approached, unaware that we were near.</p><p>"Hey there, are you a trainer?" I kindly asked, grabbing the duo's attention. The Goomy happily bounced around, likely the best greeting it could give without hands, while the man's smile turned to awe as he caught wind of Neera.</p><p>"Yeah, and I'm Andro." The man replied. "That's an awesome Pokemon, by the way."</p><p>"Thanks. I was wondering if you wanted to battle." I asked.</p><p>"Uhh... your Pokemon seems a bit stronger than mine, man." Andro nervously replied.</p><p>"She's only level five or six." I responded, taking into account the experience she probably earned fighting against Isaac.</p><p>"Eh... what do you think?" Andro asked, looming at his Goomy. The Pokemon happily bounced its head back and forth, the tendrils on top of it jiggling as it moved.</p><p>"Fiiii." Neera calmly said, looking at her would-be-opponent.</p><p>"Alright. I'll do it." Andro exclaimed. The two of us took our places, and with no referee to start us off, I waited for Andro to make his move.</p><p>"Harden." Andro ordered, signalling for the slime to pack in its excess mass, making itself harder... as the name of the move implied.</p><p>"Use Fairy Wind!" I asked, making Neera twirl around in her aura of pink energy, before throwing it towards the slime.</p><p>"Dodge!" Andro quickly shouted, but the Pokemon was far too slow to move out of the way in time. It took a large portion of the petals head-on, but it stood firm regardless.</p><p>"Water Gun!" Andro said after a brief moment of thought. The Goomy quickly spat out a shot of water, arcing towards Neera.</p><p>"Throw a couple of Water Guns back!" I countered, getting Neera to fire off a pair of blobs. One collided with the previous shot to cancel it out, while the other looked like it would hit.</p><p>"Do the same!" The other trainer continued, his Pokemon repeating Neera's attack to cancel the incoming shot while sending her own.</p><p>"Fire one and Fairy Wind!" I replied. Neera spun around, releasing a spout of water along with her blips of power.</p><p>"W-water gun!" Andro continued, too slow to give his command before the blast of wind hit, the Water Gun missing the Goomy by a few feet. Even without the bit of help, the small Pokemon hunched over, its eyes blinking slowly.</p><p>"Wow. Alright, I give up." Andro exclaimed, walking over to pick up the small Pokemon. It nuzzled his hand gently as its trainer smiled. "You were strong taking a hit like that. Good work."</p><p>"Good match, but sorry if we were a bit much for you. I haven't done many battles yet." I admitted as I joined Neera and him.</p><p>"Ah, it's fine. I think it was a great wake-up call to what we need to focus on." Andro replied. "Maybe we can find you a friend, too. How does that sound?"</p><p>"Oooooo..." The Pokemon hummed in response.</p><p>"Great." Andro replied. "Hey, what kind of Pokemon is that anyways?"</p><p>"It's called a Tapu Fini." I responded.</p><p>"Huh. I've never heard of that one before." Andro admitted. "She's definitely unique though."</p><p>"Sorry if her... 'things' are an issue." I apologized, making Neera widden her eyes in curiosity to what I meant.</p><p>"It's not a problem at all." Andro replied. "Wait, you said you haven't done a lot of battles, right? Did you just move here?"</p><p>"Just yesterday. It's an amazing city, I have to say." I responded.</p><p>"Definitely, but I have a feeling you're not very familiar with laws here." Andro exclaimed.</p><p>"Oh no..." I dreadfully said as Neera suddenly slammed her shell shut, startling me. "Uhh... how she is isn't... illegal, is it?"</p><p>"No, it's... not." Andro slowly continued. "Nudity isn't illegal at all here, even for us. There's no need to be worried about it or anything."</p><p>"Really?" I asked, as Neera began cracking open her shell.</p><p>"Yeah, for a lot of reasons actually. Ancient culture, Pokemon species, that kind of thing. Basically it's easier and more ethical to say everyone can wear nothing if they want to than forcing Pokemon to wear clothes."</p><p>"Oh, I guess that makes sense." I replied. Isaac probably didn't much care for that rule, but I guess it explained why all the people we saw on the way here weren't bothered by Neera. Speaking of Neera, the Pokemon quickly reopened her shell, sighing. How cute that she was worried about getting me in trouble. Or maybe she was doing it for herself? Better to assume the former. "Why are most people wearing clothes then?"</p><p>"...because they exist for a reason?" Andro chuckled. "I mean, I'm not exactly the guy to be so revealing in public. Not to mention that it's a bit chilly up here."</p><p>"Hey, I'm sorry alright? I've had a very... unorthodox start to my journey so far... from ancient history lessons to getting my Pokemon and then fucking... training her." I corrected myself, trying not to look as ultra-nervous as I thought I was.</p><p>"It's fine, I get what you mean." Andro replied. "Hey, I just thought of something. There's a group of trainers I'm a part of... I would love to introduce you to them, if that's okay."</p><p>"Oh? What are they like?" I asked.</p><p>"We were going to meet here at dusk." Andro explained. "They're really nice people, and perhaps we could teach you something to help you with the next Gym."</p><p>"Sounds like a plan." I replied. "Thanks."</p><p>"Hey, no problem. Good luck, umm..."</p><p>"I'm William, and this is Neera." I explained.</p><p>"Yeah. Nice meeting you both." The man smiled, taking his leave towards a distant blanket filled with goodies, likely his camp for the day. With him going on his way, I turned to my partner.</p><p>"You're getting really good already. Thanks for looking out for me too." I explained. Neera gently rubbed on her forearm, lowering her head.</p><p>"Fiii..." The Pokemon sadly replied.</p><p>"Hey, don't sweat it. Everything's alright." I softly explained. Still, Neera paid no attention to me. Looking around me, there weren't any people or Pokemon nearby that were paying direct attention to me... why not? I quickly shot my head forward, pecking my mouth on the Pokemon's lips for just a moment before pulling away, Neera following my retreat for a few moment before she watched me stand as if nothing had happened. I smirked as I watched her glittering eyes lock on mine again.</p><p>"Alright. If that's how I have to cheer you up, so be it." I responded. Neera smiled, taking her legs out of her shell to stand tall beside me. Her feet rubbed against the blades of grass, likely curious to how they felt. Something else must I've grabbed her attention too, as her focus darted towards the stage. There was still a faint singing coming from that direction.</p><p>"Fini!" Neera chirped as she suddenly grabbed my arm.</p><p>"You want to go and see what's going on over there?" I asked. The Pokemon raised her other thumb, nodding. I was a bit curious too, admittedly, but I definitely wasn't going to say no to her right now."Alright, alright. Lead the way."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Stones, Stars and Songs</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Neera gently pulled me along as she lead me towards the crowd. Even though her hand was wrapped around my arm, she still looked back every few moments to make sure I was there. I considered playing a game, and changing my expression each time she looked at me, but nah. Probably not the time or place.</p><p>For a moment, I worried myself with the thought that she would use an attack to push he way through the crowd, but the Pokemon didn't even decide to move through the group of people. Instead, she traced the edge of the pack, finding the perfect spot to see the stage.</p><p>Standing with their backs to the brilliant city and ocean behind them were two men and a woman. They looked normal in every way, save for the T-shirts adorned with similar but not identical logos. They were singing as an acapella, with each member singing and harmonizing at different times from one another.</p><p>"...not all king rules forever, after all~!" The two men happily sang, brushing against the woman. Suddenly, Neera moved the hand on my wrist up and behind my head, brushing her body against me like they did... I couldn't help but smile a bit.</p><p>"So I took up my things and left the road, set my feet down in the sand..." The woman continued alone. "I'll never like the road as much as home~."</p><p>The three took a bow as applause rode through the crowd. Neera's grip loosened as she let go, pulling her feet back into her shell as she frowned.</p><p>"Hey, we were a bit late." I said, trying to cheer her up. "I didn't know you liked singing so much."</p><p>"Fini..." Neera said, shaking her head.</p><p>"Oh, so you didn't like it?" I asked, confused.</p><p>"Ini!" Neera yelled, throwing her hand out to press a single finger onto my nose. Was she mad at me for fighting against Andro instead of watching the singers?</p><p>"Hey, I don't know what else to say than sorry. We can come back later..." I trailed off, noticing someone standing beside me. She and her partner simply stood there, watching us.</p><p>"Oh, sorry! I didn't want to interrupt your conversation." Chandla apologized, her Primarina waving at Neera.</p><p>"No, it's fine. We were a bit late to see the performance."</p><p>"Ah, I see. I saw you were in a battle, so I decided to watch them perform a bit as well." </p><p>"Do they come here often? Neera really wanted to see them."</p><p>"Unfortunately, I have no clue who they are. They're quite marvelous though." Chandla beamed. "Anywho, the Professor filled me in on what happened. Oh, you wouldn't believe the look on Winston's face!"</p><p>"You're not going to take the artifact back, are you?" I cautiously asked.</p><p>"No?" Chandla asked. "No, no no. Of course not. First off, there's no reason for me to take it, not to mention it would be quite rude."</p><p>"Mari." Her partner added.</p><p>"Oh. What do you want, then?" I asked.</p><p>"I've come merely out of curiosity, William." Chandla happily responded. "This kind of thing doesn't happen every day, after all."</p><p>"Oh... okay. Sorry for being on-edge about it." I sighed.</p><p>"It's no issue. Let me tell you something." Chandla continued. "Sure, you could put that Past Shell in an exhibit, behind glass for hundreds of years. But, in my opinion, it wasn't the intention of the artifact's creator to have their work behind glass for the rest of time, as it rots away. Instead of ending its legacy, you've extended it."</p><p>"I would've thought that putting it in a museum would be fitting of an archaeologist." I noted.</p><p>"Art is best put on display to be seen, sure, but that's a different story." Chandla explained. "If your Tapu Fini likes its new form, I see no problems in it. In fact, my team and I have doubled our efforts in researching the ancient kingdom. They aren't as savage as we first believed."</p><p>"I promise, I won't abuse this. I'm very thankful." I nodded.</p><p>"Better the gift you've found be yours then someone who would use it maliciously. Speaking of which, your... Neera? Neera is her name, yes?" Chandla asked.</p><p>"Fini." Neera said, giving her thumbs-up.</p><p>"Yes. It is." I exclaimed.</p><p>"It's quite lovely, yes... her name and her person." Chandla continued. "I have named my Primarina... Cynthia, if you were curious."</p><p>"Prima." Cynthia waved, waving her tail across the grass.</p><p>"A nice name. What do you think, Neera?" I asked. The Pokemon's eyes fell as she turned her back to me.</p><p>"Fin-ini." Neera pouted. I stepped around to the side she was facing, only for her to retreat inside her shell.</p><p>"She seems quite upset about not seeing the performance." Chandla noted.</p><p>"Neera, I'm sorry, okay?" I calmly said. "I don't know what you want with me..."</p><p>"Fiii." Neera hummed, muffled by being inside her shell.</p><p>"Hey, if you want anything to make up for that, show me." I explained, crouching to the crack in her shell. "I'm open to almo-"</p><p>The Pokemon suddenly opened her shell, tackling me to the ground as she slammed her lips onto mine. The wind left my lungs as Neera's arms slithered around my waist, her body pressing against me... it was nice, but maybe this wasn't the time to do it! Wait... she wasn't upset about the performance... she was feeling romantic, and I wasn't giving her what she wanted! Oh no... something was brushing up under my shirt... I didn't need to look to know what it was. I... I liked what was happening... just not where. I had to do something...</p><p>"Believe it or not, I was just about to ask about that." Chandla happily explained. "Oh, sorry! Don't let me interrupt things."</p><p>I couldn't exactly respond to her in my current situation... and I wasn't going to contest Neera's strength. I rubbed my lips against her as I tried to think of how to deal with her... member. It wasn't going to go away if we kept doing this, and there was no way in hell that I was going to satisfy her here and now.</p><p>I slid my hand over to her legs, giving her shaft a gentle flick. Just as I had predicted the Pokemon instantly pulled her head off of me, looking down at her penis. Her cheeks turned blue as she quickly tucked it between her legs, her lashes forming a hill. My lips curved as I gave her a wink, turning her frown upside-down instantly. I mouthed the word 'later', and the Pokemon slowly rose off of me, letting me get back to my feet.</p><p>"Heh... I didn't expect that." I noted, trying to keep my cool. Neera had withdrawn her legs from her shell to cross them over her member, hiding it completely.</p><p>"Sometimes things just happen." Chandla commented. "Now then, would you mind if I asked if you were into Pokephilia, as I was going to?"</p><p>"Uhh... sure." I replied. I wasn't aware of the term, but I could put two and two together.</p><p>"Did you start because of Neera, or were you beforehand?" Chandla asked.</p><p>"She may have... sparked something, I'll admit." I shyly admitted.</p><p>"Fini~!" Neera swooned, her face still bright blue.</p><p>"Hmm..." Chandla sofyly laughed. "I honestly wasn't expecting that to be the case. Don't worry, I'm more than fond of the trend myself. I used to love Pokemon like that, too."</p><p>"Used to?" I curiously asked. Chandla's expression saddened.</p><p>"Things just... happened." Chandla sadly said. "I've been a trainer for sixty years now, and a lot has happened in that time. Sorry, I wish to keep old wounds closed."<br/>"I understand. I hope everything's okay." I nodded.</p><p>"No worries, I'm fine. But please, let's talk about you." Chandla said as her mood brightened again. "You have a very beautiful partner, and if you're going to be delving into that topic, you might find a use for this."</p><p>Chandla pulled a small object out of her vest... a weird looking stone plate, with odd writing strewn across it. "It has some interesting properties. I wonder if you make any remarkable discoveries with it as well." Chandla chuckled. "Anyways... I'd recommend you get yourself a Mega Stone before leaving the city."</p><p>"Thanks... although I don't have any promises that I'll come up with anything." I replied, stowing away the plate. "Where would I be able to get a Mega Stone, though?"<br/>"Try the Bosol Smithery in the marketplace. I bet they could fix you up something wonderful." Chandla stated.</p><p>"Thanks. Is there anything we can do for you?" I asked.<br/>"Not that I can... Oh! There is something!" Chandla exclaimed. "My team is preparing to investigate a place called Lovemaker Temple. Though we can't get inside, the exterior should have some things worth documenting. It's an ancient ruin near Brashmear City. No rush getting there, we have plenty of other things to do beforehand."</p><p>"Sounds like a plan to me. Sounds like a fun place to explore." I said.</p><p>"Niii!" Neera added.</p><p>"Jolly good. I'll be seeing you both, then. Thanks for the conversation." Chandla nodded.</p><p>"You too. Thanks for... whatever this is." I responded.</p><p>"No problem. One last word of advice: Neera is very romantic." Chandla smiled.</p><p>"Yeah... we need to be more private about that." I nervously said.</p><p>"No, no! She has the right idea." Chandla explained. "You should be more public about it! It warms my heart to see people being happy, and I know I'm not alone. Maybe you'll encourage others to open their hearts to the possibilities too."</p><p>"Even without her new body, I doubt I would've gone long without falling for her." I smiled, my partner returning it.</p><p>"That warms my heart. You two have a wonderful adventure, and stick close." Chandla smiled. She brushed her hand through her long, greyish-white hair as she turned towards the road back to the city, her Pokemon in tow.</p><p>"Have a good day." I waved, making her turn around about ten feet from me.</p><p>"You too." Chandla smiled. "Oh, and you're very lucky. Neera's very gifted, in both body and mind. Especially those male and female endowments of hers."<br/>Neera instantly shut her shell, falling to the ground as she rolled on her side.</p><p>"Uhh... you could see it?" I nervously asked.</p><p>"It was poking right under her thigh the whole time, it was hard not to notice."</p><p>"Uhh... sorry."</p><p>"Don't be."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. The Brilliant Square</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After failing to convince Neera to exit her shell, I found myself carrying her into town. She was probably leaning back in there, having the time of her life as I hoisted her around town. Thank goodness she was ultra light. If she weighed as much as she looked, I wouldn't have been able to roll her over!</p><p>...that wasn't to say she was fat or anything...! Neera wasn't... let's keep my bad word choice in my head for now, I thought.</p><p>Thankfully I had checked my Holo Caster before heading into town; I had a general idea of where the marketplace was. Logically, it would be a good idea to see if I could find a Mega Object first, so I didn't have to lug around clothes... wait. I should just get something to carry all this stuff in! That would make things so much easier.</p><p>And sure, I might have passed the closest entrance to the mall... but I made it! While it was called a mall, the area was more like a city street lined with stone skyscrapers, each side flanked with huge stores of hundreds of varieties stacked on top of one another. Warp pads connected the different levels much more elegantly and efficiently than stairs ever did. But where to go...</p><p>"Hey Neera~" I sweetly said, setting the shell on the ground as it slowly opened, her eyes blinking quickly.</p><p>"Fiii?" Neera asked, getting a peak at whatever was visible from her position.</p><p>"Come on, we're going shopping." I explained. The Pokemon slowly opened her shell, raising off the ground as she looked around.</p><p>"Ni. Fi-Fi." Neera said in awe. She spun around, seeing all the shops and people around us, before pulling out her feet to stand on the smooth stone road. But only for a moment, before she floated up to the walkway above, looking down at me.</p><p>"I can't do that, I'm afraid. Why don't we walk together?" I asked. The Tapu Fini quickly leapt down in front of me, giggling. "Alright silly, let's go."</p><p>Looking around, most of the stores on the ground level were basic: pharmacies, barbers and to-go restaurants. Neera and I started walking over to the nearest Warp Pad as I examined the shops above. A Pokemon Center was up there.. along with a mart... oh! I saw it just as my feet touched the warp panel, instantly teleporting me one story up. Blink twice to get rid of any disorientation... okay. We're good.</p><p>Neera suddenly landed on the ground beside me, having chosen to jump up instead of using the warp pad. I guess it was fine this time, since she seemed more than eager to follow me. Just a few stores down was Bosol Smithery, its section of the building a smoky black. The sign on the door was one you would see at a bar, with equally dim windows. With no real reason to hesitate, I opened the door, holding it back for Neera as I stepped inside.</p><p>The interior of the 'smithery' was odd to say the least. The room was dominated by a massive stone countertop, behind it rows of cabinets filled to the brim with jewelry and metals locked behind glass. There wasn't really a place to wait, so Neera and I stepped up to the counter.</p><p>A door behind the counter then opened, revealing a man who likely had heard us enter. Instantly I buried my thoughts that the shop was odd when I saw him. He was wearing a brown tuxedo and hat, with short black hair and some metal rod tucked behind his right ear. He looked more like someone robbing the place more than one who owned it.</p><p>"Hullo there." He said, resting one of his arms on the counter. "Welcome to my shop. What can I do for ya?"</p><p>"I was... looking for a Mega Device?" I politely asked. The man nodded, glancing over at Neera. One of his eyes widened before turned back to me.</p><p>"Ah, I heard about you." The shopkeep continued. "Chandla came in here earlier talking about you two."</p><p>"Oh? What did she say?" I curiously asked.</p><p>"A bit down I'd say." He continued. "She's been having a rough time lately, bless 'er soul. Anyways, the name's Michael. I know who you are, Will'im, and I'd love to make you something crafty."</p><p>"How much does it cost?" I asked.</p><p>"Depends." Michael tapped his finger on the counter. "Rings cost less than braces. But I got a deal fer ya: if you leave it up to me, I won't charge a single coin. But I ain't selling you something else if you give me the go-ahead."</p><p>"Eh, why not?" I exclaimed. "I'm not really sure what I should get. I think you'll do good."</p><p>"Thanks. Before I start, do you have any Mega Stones? I could work around a theme, you know." Michael asked.</p><p>"Fi." Neera said as she tilted her head. She probably had no clue what was going on... but I didn't have any Mega Stones to give him.</p><p>"What about this?" I asked, placing the stone I had gotten from Chandla on the table.</p><p>"Ahh, she gave that to you..." Michael commented. "I see. It's no Mega Stone, but I can definitely do something with this."</p><p>"What is it?" I asked, getting the man to push the stone towards me as he stood up.</p><p>"How funny that I get to explain what it not hours after asking what it was. Lucky for you it's still fresh on my mind... other customers haven't been too talkative." Michael cleared his breath. "She didn't have a name for it, but it is apparently a strange relic from the Tazmarine Kingdom. She said she was bringing it to the Lab."</p><p>"Any idea what it does?" I asked, feeling Neera press against me. She was looking at Michael with awe, likely ready for a story.</p><p>"Apparently it was the only relic that was different from most of the others collected from the Kingdom. Just from what I've seen, a lot of the things left from the Tazmarine Kingdom are weapons and grim hieroglyphs." Michael explained.</p><p>"Maybe the Cheshire Expeditionary Society just came across them at a bad spot?" I asked.</p><p>"Maybe. I've seen some of their stuff they brought up, it's a tad unsettling to say the least." Michael noted. "But from what I know, them people were good smiths. I was hoping that when I invited Chandla over, she might've picked up on some more methods and whatnot to relay to me."</p><p>"I wish you the best of luck in furthering your craft."</p><p>"I appreciate it. I'll get to work. Come back around sundown, I should be finished by then." Michael explained.</p><p>"Fini!" Neera cheered, waving at the man. He tipped his hat before exiting the way he had entered, letting us enter back into the mall.</p><p>"We have some time to burn." I explained to Neera. "Where do you want to go next?"</p><p>"Ni..." Neera hummed, looking around. She looked around at the shops around us before pointing to the one directly to our right<br/>.<br/>"Do you know what they sell there?" I asked. The Pokemon shook her head. "Well, it's a grocery store. We don't need to go there right now."</p><p>Neera still happily followed me as we passed the store she had chosen, thankfully more than happy to follow me. After thinking about it... a bag was the thing I needed the most. Since there weren't any stores specifically for bags... I know there are some out there, but come on... I headed towards the clothing store on the other side of the mall.</p><p>It was quite a bit past noon now, and most of the people wandering around at the start of the day were nowhere to be seen. The city wasn't too populated to begin with, since the region was new and all, but man... sometimes this place seemed like a ghost town.</p><p>Neera was still walking beside me, of course... when she had her legs out, she looked almost human. What would my old friends say if they saw me with her? They'd probably be too shy to even say hello... the only reason I wasn't was because I knew she liked me. If she was still an Oshawott, would I have liked her how I do now? I really couldn't answer that question. Why was I even considering it? Whatever, whatever... focus on shopping...</p><p>A word popped into my mind as I entered the store: elevator music. That stock, emotionless music that played in every fucking store ever. Neera seemed utterly oblivious to it... she had probably never experienced it before. Finding the isle I was looking for took... a bit, I'll admit, but I found it.</p><p>"Fini?" Neera curiously said, looking to her left. She was looking at a dark red heavy backpack, something you'd wear on a camping trip... not something a trainer would use.<br/>"That looks a bit heavy, don't you think?" I asked. The Pokemon blinked, turning around to see what was behind her.</p><p>As she turned, her shell smashed against the isle behind her. Neera didn't react in the slightest, but the shelf loudly creaked... oh shit! I quickly dove back, running to the isle next to us, pushing by back against the isle to prevent it from falling over. Thankfully nothing had fallen... so no harm done. The culprit peaked her face at me as I sighed.</p><p>"Ini..." Neera sadly said before walking over to me.</p><p>"It's okay." I smiled. "You're not used to your-"</p><p>"Oh my Arceus!"</p><p>I turned around to see the woman who had interrupted me. She had to be in her thirties, but one thing was for certain: she was not happy.</p><p>"Sorry, ma'am. The isle isn't bolted down very well." I explained.</p><p>"You had better be here to buy some clothes for that... ridiculous Pokemon." The woman angrily said, looking back at the purses.</p><p>"I was looking for a bag, actually." I replied, acting like she hadn't said that. I really didn't want to cause a ruckus.</p><p>"I didn't ask." The woman continued. "And seriously, do us all a favor and keep that Pokemon in its ball."</p><p>"Fiii?" Neera innocently asked. She was completely unbothered by the woman's insults... probably because she had no idea what they meant.</p><p>"Why does it concern you?" I asked, trying very hard to hide my anger.</p><p>"It wouldn't have to, if you had common sense." She smugly retorted, grinning with pride. I opened my mouth to retaliate, but I held myself back. "For all our sakes, I hope you put it away."</p><p>She left as quickly as she could after plucking one of the purses off the shelf, disappearing into the store. This time though, Neera's eyes were half-shut, her pose slouched. No doubt that she wasn't exactly ignorant to the claims made against her.</p><p>"Hey, hey. It's okay." I calmly exclaimed, putting my hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry about her."</p><p>"Fi..." Neera sadly said, looking down at her chest. There were so many things I wanted to say to cheer her up... but this obviously wasn't the place to do it.</p><p>"Let's go back to looking, okay? I want you to pick it out for me." I explained. She regained some of the glitter in her eyes, but her spark had certainly been diminished.</p><p>"Fini." Neera nodded. She stepped into the middle of the isle before turning to leave the isle. She was learning very quickly at least, as Pokemon tended to do. Returning to the bag isle, I let Neera head deeper into the isle where she took a look at everything. There really was a ton of variety, with few view... duplicates of other items. Each one was completely and totally unique. It made me curious as to which one she would pick.</p><p>Then, I felt something begin to vibrate in my pocket. It wasn't a call, else I'd be hearing a ring, so it had to be a message... I wonder what it was for. Neera was busy looking at the bags, so checking wouldn't be too much of an issue. Besides, maybe it would get my mind off what just happened.</p><p>And it was, in fact, a message. From Professor Drolpil... maybe he found something.</p><p>Dear William</p><p>I've checked all the Past Shells I have on me, as well as some I asked for. I tried the method that you described, as well as dozens of others.<br/>I found absolutely nothing. Not even the slightest reaction.<br/>So I looked into the information of Neera's Pokeball to see if I could find anything. No question that it's the culprit behind her transformation; none of the tech I have is able to recognize it. Your Past Shell is unqiue from all the others I've run tests on, so we really need to keep a look-out for more.<br/>I glanced up to see what Neera was doing. Instead of crouching down, she was sticking out her behind... albeit covered by her shell, to more closely see one of the lower-placed bags. I laughed before returning to the message.<br/>Here's what I can tell, though: Neera is a Tapu Fini. The Pokedex has no traces of her having any part Oshawott in her at all. So there's no way of turning her back, not that you'd want to. She seems pretty happy about it, you seem pretty happy about it, I think everyone's winning.<br/>As for Neera herself, other professors are loving her! What the Pokedex has been able to tell about her has let us in the scientific community have a lens into what Legendary Pokemon are like.<br/>Anyways, I'll keep looking at the shells. Thanks for reaching out to me about this, I really appreciate it.</p><p>Drolpil</p><p>PS: You might like to know that Neera is also a Shiny Pokemon.</p><p>Shiny Pokemon? Man, there was so much icing to Neera that I couldn't see the cake. I didn't notice that she was a 'Shiny' as they called them... but maybe I just had to look harder. She was holding one of the bags now, looking at its many sides, a perfect chance for me to observe her. Even though her skin was an absolute jet black, parts of her body shone white even in the dim store lights. At first I thought it was just because of her water-typing making her skin super reflective, but no: she was definitely glittering.</p><p>"Hey Neera, I just found out something about you." I said, drawing her attention. "Apparently, not only are you a legendary Pokemon now, you also have a unqiue coloration. You know, now that I think about it... if a Legendary Pokemon is a Shiny, that means... you're one of two Tapu Fini, and you're the only one who's black and periwinkle. I'm not sure what the other one looks like, but you certainly look wonderful."</p><p>"Fi-Fin.!" Neera happily cheered, my comment seemingly having restored her mood. She set down the bag she was holding, grabbing one close to it to hold out in front of me. It was a black shoulder bag, not as dark as her skin but still colored like the night. The pack itself was just big enough to hold a few shirts and shorts, Pokeballs, and everything else I would need. It wasn't overly fancy, and it did the job well.</p><p>"It's perfect, Neera." I smiled, taking it from her. The two of us purchased it, thankfully not running into the rude woman from before. I slung the bag around my shoulder once we had left... it made me glad that she didn't pick that backpack, this felt so much easier to carry, even after I put my Holo Caster, ID, and Neera's... Past Ball in it.</p><p>The sun was beginning to set, but we still had a ton of time to burn before going to pick up the Mega Device from Michael. Maybe we could go to the Grocery Store now to pick up some snacks for the hotel room, but... hell, why not?</p><p>"Hey Neera?" I asked, turning to her.</p><p>"Fii?" Neera asked, folding her arms under her breasts.</p><p>"How about we go to a restaurant for dinner?" I asked. Day one: get a Shiny Legendary Pokemon. Day two: go on a date with her.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Passion Berries</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The afternoon was just about to leave, and what a better time to grab something to eat? Restaurants of every variety stuck out as choices as to where we were going to go, but I knew exactly where to go.<br/>...after looking around at reviews on my Holo Caster, of course.</p><p>I wasn't the guy to stress over where to eat usually, but today was... definitely different to say the least. That didn't mean I didn't decide myself what was the best choice. The sun was soon to set, and having a... better version of the meal she liked last night.</p><p>Neera seemed quite happy about it, though. The Pokemon was looking around at what other people were eating, as she was unable to read the menu herself. It was a barrier for certain, but one I could help her cross.</p><p>"Okay Neera." I said, grabbing her attention. "What looks good to you?"</p><p>She crossed her arms under her breasts as she turned towards the restaurant. It was a counter-service place serving different kinds of noodles and pizzas to eat while watching the lagoon from the 'boardwalk' you could call this end of the mall.</p><p>"Ini..." Neera sighed, shaking her head.</p><p>"Don't know what to get?" I asked, getting a thumbs-up. "Want me to get you something, then?"</p><p>"Niiii!" Neera happily replied.</p><p>"Alright, I think I know what we should get." I exclaimed, walking over to get in the short line. I could get her a similar dish to the one she had before... nah. I had a better idea.</p><p>While the line passed, I took a moment to look around. The sun was just starting to fade behind the mountains, darkening the lightless city. The insides of the shops around were dimly lit, of course, but time passed unlike anything I had experienced in Hoenn. The change from bright to night was... astounding, to say the least.</p><p>"Have you seen the sunsets here before, Neera?" I asked.</p><p>"Fi-nini." Neera shook her head. She turned to the lagoon, holding out one of her hands as if to touch the ocean. Tendrils of water started to ooze from her skin, forming in a bubble she held between her fingers. She dropped the small orb to the wooden planks below, where it shattered into a puddle almost instantly. The Pokemon reviewed its webbed hand for another few moments before retracting it. "Fi-ini. Fini."</p><p>"I can't imagine how it feels to have such a sudden change. Are you alright?" I asked.</p><p>"Fini." Neera nodded. She pushed up her breasts for a moment. "Ini."</p><p>I would've quickly replied to her, if not for the fact that we were now at the front of the line. I motioned for her to follow me to the counter, having her join me as the woman behind the counter waved at us.</p><p>"What'll it be, sir?" She asked, taking a glance at my partner.</p><p>"I'm just looking for a plain medium pizza, ma'am." I replied, pulling out my wallet from the bag I had placed it in. A thousand Pokedollars was pretty cheap, I had to say.</p><p>"Sounds good." She responded, taking the payment, placing my tip in the jar beside her. "You can just hang around, it'll be done in a jiffy."</p><p>"Fine by me." I responded, noticing that I had ended off the line. "I would've thought there would be more people here."</p><p>"Yeah, the city's been quiet recently." The woman explained, writing down our order on a slip of paper she passed to a chef behind her. "Most of the trainers have headed onto other cities, especially because of the migrations."</p><p>"Migrations?" I curiously asked. "I never heard of them."</p><p>"I was wondering, since you look like a trainer yourself." She laughed. "You have an amazing Pokemon, by the way. I've never seen anything like her."</p><p>"Fini!" Neera smiled.</p><p> </p><p>"She's been a great partner." I explained.<br/>"I bet. Not going to lie... I'm a bit jealous... of both of you." The woman cheerfully laughed. "Anyways... right! The migrations! They've been going on for awhile now, but around this time, rare Pokemon come to Vibreal. Most of them are flying types like Murkrow and Skarmory."</p><p>"Sounds interesting. Is it ending soon?" I asked.</p><p>"Quite possibly." The woman explained. "They aren't too predictable, but they should be here for a week or so."</p><p>"Sounds like we're just in time, then." I replied. "I grew up in Hoenn, so Skarmory aren't too rare to me, but I'd love to see what else is there."</p><p>"Speaking of Hoenn, one of the main attractions of the migrations are the Latios and Latias." She continued. "I heard they're amazing."</p><p>"My father told me they almost went extinct once." I said, recalling what I knew of the Pokemon. They had almost been wiped out a few decades ago, before seeing a sudden return in numbers. They were a popular Pokemon to have on a team, because of their kindness towards humans, and great power.</p><p>"Maybe they found a way to avoid it here." The woman suggested. "Hopefully, they still like it here. Vibreal has the nicest people."</p><p>"Mostly... I've run into a bit of trouble for having Neera as she is." I noted, glancing at my companion.</p><p>"I totally get what you mean. Though, that Pokemon would look silly wearing clothes." She replied.</p><p>"Fini!" Neera quickly added.</p><p>"She seems very... adverse to the idea, to say the least." I chuckled.</p><p>"No problem to me." The woman replied. The worker from before set down a thin box on the counter, which the girl handed to me. "Have a good day, sir."</p><p>"Thanks, you too." I responded as I took the box. I swear, it weighed more than the Pokemon I would be be feeding it to. Oh well, I bet she'll love it. I spun around, leading Neera away as I looked for a table. </p><p>The place was just as deserted as the shop itself... leaving us with a ton of potential spots to choose from.</p><p>The best seat, though, wasn't too hard to find: a four-seated circular table just on the edge of the platform. Neera didn't seem to be afraid of heights before, so hopefully she would find the three-story high balcony to be lovely instead of scary.</p><p>I set the dish down in the center of the table, taking a seat. Neera curiously watched the pizza box, obviously having no clue what it was.</p><p>And then, as I watched her observe the alien device, I realized something... How was she going to sit with that shell?</p><p>"Neera, are you going to be able to take a seat there?" I asked.</p><p>"Fini." Neera replied. She once again pulled her feet from her shell... and then, she ducked, pulling the top fin of her shell out, revealing it to be on top of her head. The white patterns on her shell faded away as she effortlessly stepped out of it, letting it gently close and sit on the ground behind her. My cheeks reddened as I realized that her body was almost perfectly human, and even though I couldn't see her behind from here, her hips didn't leave much up to my imagination... she gracefully took a seat beside me, grinning.</p><p>"I... I didn't think you'd be able to do that." I admitted. My face was bright red, and I knew she could see all of it. How I had managed to keep it from this state for so long with those massive... personalities was beyond me.</p><p>"Ini... Fini-fini." Neera swiftly replied. My only guess was that she just knew how her new body worked... not that I was complaining. Damn, she was beautiful... yep. No fighting against it, I had fallen for her. Her new body may have helped a bit, though.</p><p>"Now then, how about we see what's inside here?" I asked, pulling the box towards us. The shop had done a brilliant job... the layers of bread, sauce and cheese where thick, but not overbearing.<br/>"Fini..." Neera gawked, looking at the dish. She was already drooling just looking at it! Or maybe that was just water.</p><p>...it was honestly hard to tell.</p><p>"Go right ahead and take a slice." I said, scooting the box towards her. The girl reached her hand over the pizza, looking to grab a piece from above... not wanting her to burn her hand, I grabbed it, taking a slice out and handing it to her. I pulled away after making sure it was facing the right way, letting the Pokemon do the rest.</p><p>She gently nibbled on the front, chewing on the piece. Small pockets of steam escaped her lips as she gulped it down... thankfully her typing had protected her from its heat.</p><p>"How was it?" I asked. Neera didn't respond, though, as she took another nibble. I could hear a muffled happy noise as her lustful eyes gazed at me... yeah. She definitly liked it. I grabbed my own piece, blowing off some of the heat before taking a bite. The cheese was nearly to the point of a cream... which was only a positive. The sauce was obviously freshly made, and the crust not the slightest bit burnt. Absolutely wonderful.</p><p>I moved back in for another bite... only to see a familiar face nip the slide of my slice. My partner sucked the edge of the slice before pulling it off, swallowing it.</p><p>"You finished yours that quickly?" I asked.</p><p>"Fini..." Neera shyly replied. She held out a webbed hand towards me, showing that a bit of red sauce was clinging to her skin.</p><p>"It's just a bit of sauce. You can lick it off." I explained. The girl tilted her head as she lapped her tongue at it, taking most of it into her lips. She didn't seem to care about the rest though, lowering her hands around her breasts.</p><p>"Fi?" Neera asked, gazing into my eyes.</p><p>"Take what you want, I'm not going to control what you eat." I replied. The Pokemon nodded, correctly grabbing another slice, watching me peacefully as she resumed eating, but not for long. The dark of night began quickly creeping over the table, before the whole city became cloaked in darkness. That only lasted for a moment before hundreds of lights gathered in the lagoon, making the water shine as brightly as the stars. "Love you, Neera."</p><p>"Fi fi-ni." Neera happily replied, smiling. It almost made me forget about the first slice she had... upside-down under her chair.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Luminous Glow</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Even as the other customers and passersby went on their ways, and the shop closed down for the night, Neera and I sat, watching the moon rise behind the lagoon. Well, perhaps she was the one doing the watching... I was beginning to doze off, admittedly.</p><p>"Fini?" Neera asked, making me dart my eyes open.</p><p>"Hey, the air's nice. Don't blame me." I replied, yawning. The Pokemon squirmed for a moment before stepping off her chair, turning to face me. "Has it been three hours already?"</p><p>"Ini?" Neera replied. Perhaps she wasn't too familiar with time and all, but she was probably right. It had been some time, and the bits of cheese and sauce that were still in the box had dried crisp. It was time to go.</p><p>"Well, let's get going then." I replied, getting up from my chair. Neera followed suit, stepping into her shell, still keeping her legs out as the massive ornate rock sat behind her back. It wasn't attached to her body from what I could see, but it moved like it was solidly locked onto her skin. I could only help but wonder how it worked.</p><p>Nevertheless, I threw away the box as we left, not bothering with the misplaced slice; better to act as if I didn't notice it. The inner marketplace still had a few people going about, but many of the shops had closed down for the night. The warp pads where still active, and hopefully the smith was still open as well. I don't know why it wouldn't be, but there was always the possibility, I guess.</p><p>"In-In." Neera remarked, looking at me.</p><p>"Is something wrong?" I asked, making Neera shake her head. She opened her arms wide, slowly swinging them above her head.</p><p>"Are you enjoying yourself?" I asked.</p><p>"Fiii!" Neera cheered, leaping along.</p><p>"Excellent." I replied, smiling at her over-the-top reaction. The light from the lagoon was still illuminating her skin, which glittered like she had just gotten out of a pool or something. Water types.</p><p>"Fi!" Neera continued, suddenly pointing upwards. The Bosol Smithery sign was still lit up, as I expected. Neera suddenly leapt up to the upper floor, running inside the store before I could protest. Sighing, I headed for the Warp Pad nearby, thinking of how I was going to stop her from doing this.</p><p>A short warp later and an even shorter walk took me to the front of the shop. I opened the door to see Neera already standing in front of an empty counter, her shell unfortunately blocking any view I had of her behind... what a shame. It did make me wonder for a bit... what did the Tapu Fini think of me, appearance-wise? She probably liked how I looked at the very least.</p><p>"Only a day together and you're already trying to get away from me, huh?" I sarcastically asked, getting the Pokemon's attention.</p><p>"Iiii!" Neera worriedly cheered, suddenly bolting backwards to latch her arms around me.</p><p>"It's okay, I was only joking! I know you like me, it's okay." I replied. Neera's grip loosened before she almost let go of me, sliding her fingers inbetween mine. The Pokemon lead me back to the counter, swaying her head back and forth with a smile on face.</p><p>The door behind the counter opened as Michael took his place at the counter. He was holding a white cloth in both of his hands, concealing whatever was in.</p><p>"Normally I wouldn't remember trainers on a per-Pokemon basis, but lucky you having one so unique." Michael remarked. "Anyways. Here we are."</p><p>Michael pulled off the cloth, revealing the piece of work in his hand. It was a smooth piece of stone, black in color embeded with a glittering gem. The piece didn't look like any jewelry item like the mega objects were usuaully. That being said, I couldn't really figure out where exactly it went... like, was I supposed to hold it?</p><p>"What is it?" I asked out of curiosity.</p><p>"Put it in your hair." Michael advised. I picked up the small object, noticing how light it was. It was like a scale, ebony black with light blue marks gently etched into it. I wonder where he got the color scheme from, heh. I rested the scale on the left side of my head, letting the clip slip through some stands of hair, letting the object come to rest. I shook my head for a moment, finding that the object was almost perfectly still.</p><p>"Fin." Neera commented, observing the strange object.</p><p>"As long as that brooch is in contact with your body, it should allow you to use Mega Evolution whenever you wish." Michael explained.</p><p>"I thought brooches were supposed to be worn on the chest." I commented, making Michael shrug.</p><p>"I couldn't think of anything else to call it, really." The man explained. "Always thought it would be an interesting idea. How do you like it?"</p><p>"I think it's great. How much do you want for it?" I asked.</p><p>"Like I said earlier, it's completely free." Michael smiled. "Thanks for letting me make it."</p><p>"It's no issue, but..." I continued, pulling out a couple hundred Pokedollars. "You deserve a tip, at least."</p><p>"Well, thank you." Michael replied. "If you ever need a replacement, or perhaps some other service, I'm here."</p><p>"Thanks. Have a nice night." I replied. Neera cheerfully waved to him as we took our leave, walking back into the open air. The Pokemon pressed one of her fingers against the Mega Stone on the brooch, which still stayed put.</p><p>"Cool, isn't it?" I asked, getting a thumbs-up. "I think he did a good job."</p><p>"Ini." Neera nodded.</p><p>"Well, what do you want to do now?" I curiously asked. Sleep was always an option but wasn't there something I wanted to do first?</p><p>"Oh, right!" I exclaimed, startling Neera. "Hey, do you want to go to that training meeting in the park? The one Andro told us about?"</p><p>"Fini." The Pokemon replied with a thumbs-up.</p><p>"Sounds like a plan, then." I replied. The technical machine that he said they were offering sounded interesting, but even without the possible reward, a bit more training could hurt. Neera seemed okay with it, at the very least.</p><p>Neera was still walking by the time we got to the park. It was strange to think that she might have problems walking, but she WAS usually in that shell of hers. Her strength definitly outmatched her weight, though, so perhaps it wasn't that big of an issue. What was certain, though, was that she was definitely keeping them out for one reason: she knew I really liked them.</p><p>They sure carried her the distance, though. The girl wasn't so much as puffing when we reached the park, while I... well, I had been doing a bit more walking than I was used to. I wasn't collapsing from exhaustion, mind you, but my feet were starting to ache, and my forehead was almost as shiny as my companion's. Still, we entered the now almost deserted park, looking out into the lagoon. The leaves of the trees were mimicing the glow down there, guiding a couple out of the park. They were the last people in the park from what I could see... so where was the meeting?</p><p>"See anything that could be them, Neera?" I asked.</p><p>"Ni." Neera replied, shaking her head. The two of us journeyed into the park, looking for any sign of life. The air was whistling in the breeze, and only our four footsteps accompanied that sound.</p><p>And then, I saw it. It was a pink smoke, almost... seeping off the leaves of a nearby bush. That definitely didn't seem normal.</p><p>"Neera, over here." I exclaimed, waving at Neera to follow me. I pushed myself into a gap in the bushes, holding my breath in case the mist was some kind of poison. After pushing aside some branches and leaves, I found myself looking into a small clearing.

I instantly gasped as I took in the situation. There were six people, four males and two females, fully naked on the grass along with various Pokemon. I could make out a pair of Gardevoir, a Gallade, and a pair of Lopunny, lying together in piles across the grass.

Completely unconscious.</p><p>"You two. Step out of the bush. Now."</p><p>My eyes darted to a figure kneeling beside what had to be stacks of clothes and bags. They were wearing long pants and a dark green hoodie, along with a pair of hiking boots. They were wearing what appeared to be a white ski mask with black lenses concealing their eyes, and a large red bandana wrapped over the mouth of the mask. Beside them was a huge purple and black Pokemon, a Drapion... who was not happy that I wasn't obeying its trainer's orders.

I quickly darted out of the bush, crossing my arms behind my back as Neera came out of the bush behind me, waving her hand at the masked stranger.</p><p>"State your business." The masked stranger angrily demanded.</p><p>"Sorry, we were just passing by when I saw a pink mist on the bushes." I explained. The Drapion's eyes narrowed at my words.</p><p>"Pardon me for not believing a word of that." The stranger replied, their voice unnaturally deep.</p><p>"What's going on here?" I asked, not bothering to choke out another excuse.</p><p>"Let me answer your question with a question." The figure responded, standing up to place their hands in their pockets. "What does the term 'Pokeality' mean to you, hmm?"</p><p>"Poke-what?" I asked.</p><p>"I see." The masked figure replied. "Good. For a moment I thought you were one of them, but I guess you simply just have poor taste in Pokemon."</p><p>"Fini?" Neera replied in a confused tone.</p><p>"Fini? I've never heard a Pokemon say that before." The figure replied. "What species is it?"</p><p>"It's a Tapu Fini. It's a rare Pokemon." I replied.</p><p>"Never heard of it." The figure replied. "A collector then, are you?"</p><p>"No, I wouldn't call myself one. If you don't mind me asking again, what's going on here?" I asked.</p><p>"Allow me to humor you." The figure replied. "These delinquents are in the possession of artifacts that they have no business owning. I was looking to retrieve these artifacts from them, only to find them raping their Pokemon." The figure replied. I took another look at the others lying on the ground. They were all still breathing, but they were out like lights... wait, one of the men... that's Andro! We were in the right place after all... I turned back to the figure just as the pulled a small object out of one of the bags.</p><p>"This right here is what I was after." The figure explained, holding up a stone tablet. "This thing's a relic of the old kingdom that once lived in this region. It's one of many powerful relics of its kind. Their main function is... well, it doesn't matter. What does matter is that it has an alternate ability I'd rather not get into details with."</p><p>"Ini?" Neera asked, looking at the gem. She knew just as well as I did: it was just like the one Chandla had given me.</p><p>"Am I being lead to believe you mugged that off of them?"</p><p>"They have no idea what purpose these artifacts fulfill." The figure responded, placing the gem into his pocket. "Neither do you."</p><p>"They still belonged to them. And I have a feeling you aren't going to tell me that they consented to all this."</p><p>"You're picking the wrong person to sass. I'll be taking my leave, I suggest you do the same. Leave these failures here in their muck."</p><p>"To hell if I'm going to let you walk away from whatever's going on here." I retaliated, with Neera taking an offensive stance. She knew we had to do something, and I was glad she was by my side.<br/>
"You would defend... them, of all people? You are no hero." The masked figure replied, placing their hands back in their pockets. "Night Slash."</p><p>"Step back and Fairy Wind!" I yelled as fast as I could. The hulking bug stepped forward to slash at Neera just as she stepped back, twirling around to throw her energy orbs at it. Its pincers went up in recoil, revealing several scratches under its arms; the others must have tried to put up a fight. Which reminded me...</p><p>This guy was probably way better than me.</p><p>"Night Slash." The masked figure ordered again.</p><p>"Repeat!" I quickly ordered, responding to the figure's intense aggression. Neera once again stepped out the way of the attack, spinning and releasing hers into her enemy. But instead of changing strategies, the masked stranger continued to order the use of Night Slash over and over, with his Drapion slowly approaching Neera with each consecutivie one. I backed out of the way of the passing Pokemon to avoid being hit, letting Neera continue her defense.</p><p>But the Drapion finally landed its attack on Neera, only for the Pokemon to turn and close her shell, making the giant poison-type scrape its talon across its surface, seemingly protecting her from harm.</p><p>"Get it open!" The figure ordered. The Drapion latched its claws onto Neera's shell, slowly prying it open.</p><p>"Neera, do it!" I responded, knowing what the Pokemon was likely to do next. As soon as the Drapion slipped its claws inside the crack it forced open, Neera opened her shell, flooding the other Pokemon's face with bright energy, sending it flying back onto the ground. The figure grunted for a moment as the Drapion got back on its feet.</p><p>"Thunder Fang." The man ordered, finally switching his plans. Neera once again shut her shell, ready to defend against the incoming attack. Although... that wasn't going to work this time.</p><p>"Neera, use Water Gun instead!" I shouted. The girl quickly reopened her shell, just in time for the other Pokemon to crash its fangs down on her shell. Unfortunately for it, as she was in the process of opening it, the other Pokemon quickly threw its head up in pain as its mouth was stretched open while Neera shook from the small shock she had received from the impact of the electrified fangs. Still, her lips became drenched with a shot of water that quickly found itself on Drapion's forehead, knocking him on his back. Its trainer looked down at it as it tried to get back up, only for it to collapse on its stomach, rolling over.</p><p>"What a surprise that you surpassed this sorry lot in prowess." The masked stranger replied, shrugging. "Congratulations. Now what do you intend to do?"</p><p>"At the very least, get these people back the things you took from them."</p><p>"No." The masked figure asked as they reached into their pocket. "Believe me when I say that there are secrets that best remain as such. If there were another way, I would have pursued it. They would not listen."</p><p>"Then tell me. What do these things do, exactly?" I asked.</p><p>"You wish to know? Very well." The man replied. He pulled out a small gem, tossing it towards me.</p><p>However, it wasn't one of the relics. It was a small yellow prism, which fell onto Drapion. The object  fell into its agape mouth, stirring it for a moment. The Pokemon then suddenly reopened its eyes, rolling back onto its four legs with a renewed, vicious glare.</p><p>"Sleep Powder on both of them." The masked man quickly ordered. I covered my face as the Drapion bashed its claws together, sending a thick pink powder in our direction. I tried to turn away from the blast, but I found myself with a faceful of toxins along with Neera, thankfully keeping it out of my nose and mouth.</p><p>That wasn't going to help me though. My legs instantly gave out as my mind began to fade, and I couldn't do so much as grind my teeth before my head hit the grass. No, I wasn't going to let him... what if he took...</p><p>I had to wake up...</p><p>I had to wake up!</p><p>"Come on, wake up!"</p><p>My eyes jolted open, and I had to resist the urge to spring up in protest. The sky was still dark and filled with stars, but I could barely see them behind the people standing around me.</p><p>"Gah! What? What time is it?!?" I yelled, sitting up. I let out a sigh as I spotted Neera... she was sitting beside me, thankfully okay, from what I could see. "You okay, Neera?"</p><p>"Fini!" Neera replied, giving a thumbs up. The Pokemon quickly crawled her way over to me as I turned my attention to the others. The others had awoken, and they were still without any clothes, their Pokemon standing attentive near them.</p><p>"Are you all right?" One of the men asked, holding out a hand for me.</p><p>"I'm fine." I responded. "I was mostly worried about the rest of you... why are you still naked?"</p><p>"Well, we were... busy... before we were jumped." One of the girls responded. "I told them to wait before waking you up too... what are you doing here, anyway?"</p><p>"Your friend told me there'd be a meeting here." I replied. "I tried to stop a thief from taking your... artifacts."</p><p>"You did?" The first man asked. I nodded. "Shit.. thanks for trying, man."</p><p>"I don't have anything to show for it, though." I frowned.</p><p>"You didn't need to do that, you know." Andro explained. "But thank you anyways. We really appreciate it."</p><p>"Anyways." One of the other men started, his black hair long and spiky. "You've come across our little club. My name's Luda."</p><p>"Andro." My old opponent added as he raised his hand.</p><p>"I'm Fulla." One of the girls waved, her short blonde hair shaking in the wind.</p><p>"And I'm Reva." The other female added. The brunette was a bit more endowed than her friend, but certainly less thin, not that her form was an issue.</p><p>"Felix." The red-haired man responded before pointing to the short, blue-haired man beside him. "And this is Arrioh."</p><p>"H-hi." Arrioh nervously said, concealing his crotch from my partner's view.</p><p>"Hello, everyone." I replied, waving. "I'm William, and this is my partner Neera."</p><p>"Fiiii!" Neera waved, seemingly unphased by the circumstance that, to me at least, happened not a few minutes before.</p><p>"Are you two into Pokephilia?" Luda asked.</p><p>"I'd rather ask all of you a question. That man... he said you were into something called Pokeality, and that you were raping your Pokemon?" I asked.</p><p>"What?!? No, all of us here are perfectly consensual!" Reva noted, the Pokemon all nodding at her response. "Pokeality is an insulting term that was used to describe romance between humans and Pokemon. It implies Pokemon are just mindless animals, which they aren't! They're smart and wonderful and kind and-"</p><p>"No need to get so worked up, Reva, I feel like our friend here is on our side." Fulla added, placing her hand on her friend's shoulder.</p><p>"Sorry for being so worked up when they just stole all our Seafloor Fragments!" Reva worriedly explained.</p><p>"Seafloor Fragments?" I asked, searching my pockets. Surely enough, it was still there; the masked man likely didn't think that I had one on me. I pulled it out, holding it in my hand. "Like this one?"</p><p>"You have one?!? Which bag did you get it out of?" Andro asked.</p><p>"None. Chandla gave it to me." I explained.</p><p>"Why didn't they take it from you?" Luda asked.</p><p>"I think I lead on like I didn't have one." I explained. "The thief didn't check, thankfully."</p><p>"At least we have one... maybe we can get new ones." Felix suggested. "Anyways, welcome! I think Andro told me about you guys."</p><p>"I did. They seemed like our type." Andro explained.</p><p>"So, you guys are like... people who like to have sex with Pokemon?" I nervously asked.</p><p>"That's half of it, yeah." Luda explained.</p><p>"We're romanticists! The best kind of trainers!" Fulla added.</p><p>"Fulla, Felix and I were Pokephiliacs before we came to Vibreal, and we found Andro, Reva, and Arrioh over the last few days." Reva explained. Fulla and Felix were joining me tomorrow when we head out for Expedition City, and I was hoping I could get together with some like-minded people for a good night... damn the luck, I guess."</p><p>"I guess I'm late, then." I shrugged.</p><p>"At least you still have your Seafloor Fragment." Arrioh sadly remarked.</p><p>"Speaking of which, what does this thing even do?" I asked.</p><p>"They're apparently good-luck charms of sorts that ancient people used." Luda started. I handed him the small gem as he looked at it. "I figured it was... a sort of token that the Cheshire Expeditionary Society gave new trainers."</p><p>"I see..." I started. "...but does it have any other purpose?"</p><p>"None that I was told about." Fulla exclaimed.</p><p>"Whomever robbed you thought otherwise." I noted. "And they were quite content with not letting me know what it was."</p><p>"Really?" Felix remarked. "Whatever. I'm just glad we're unharmed."</p><p>"For sure... luckily we were well concealed..." Reva whined.</p><p>"For the most part." I jokingly added.</p><p>"Maybe we can swing by and see if Cheshire has any more Seafloor Fragments we could have." Arrioh remarked. "Just for tradition's sake, you know?"</p><p>"Fini?" Neera asked, tapping my shoulder. She pointed towards the others standing around us, reminding me that they were still not wearing any clothes. Now that I wasn't focused on our attacker, my head grew fuzzy as I noticed the two girls' breasts, which while not as big as Neera's, were definitely there... and the men were also acting rather casual about their flaccid dicks, save Arrioh.</p><p>"Uhh... so what are you guys going to do?" I asked, getting to my feet so my eyes were on a more neutral level.</p><p>"Go home, I guess." Luda shrugged.</p><p>"Fii!" Neera shouted, grabbing my hand. She suddenly threw me around, forcing me to point at the large building in the distance. The hotel I was staying at...</p><p>"Wait, would you guys like somewhere to stay for the night?" I asked.</p><p>"I don't think I'll be needing sleep for a while." Fulla replied.</p><p>"We could just hang out. If you just want to sleep though, I'm cool with it." Reva added. "How much do you want for the stay?"</p><p>"I'm not asking anyone." I responded. "Pardon me, but... you guys seem like you know a lot about this stuff."</p><p>"You mean Pokephilia?" Luda asked.</p><p>"Yes, sir." I replied.</p><p>"Well, you're not wrong at all." Felix replied. "I'll let you in on my years of knowledge! Speaking of which, how long have you been into Pokemon?"</p><p>"Uhh..." I stuttered, shooting down the urge to lie. "A day."</p><p>"I bet it's because of this girl, right?" Felix asked.</p><p>"Yeah... I-I guess you could say that." I muttered.</p><p>"Then let's get going." Fulla smiled. "We have a lot to teach you."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Like Minds</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This chapter contains sexual content. Below you can find general tags of the scene.</p><p>The tags may be mild spoilers for the content of the chapter, avoid them if you wish.</p><p> </p><p>Male on Male<br/>Male on Futanari<br/>Futanari on Male<br/>Amateur Sex<br/>Vaginal Sex<br/>Cum in Pussy<br/>Romantic<br/>Voyeur<br/>Human on Human<br/>Human on Pokemorph</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The group was very quick to slip on their clothes as they joined Neera and I on the way back to the hotel. I'd thought they were the kind of people to exploit their right of public nudity... and yet Neera seemed to be the only one taking advantage of it.</p><p>The others happily talked amongst each other during the walk. I was too nervous to join in, and too worried that they might not want me to listen in. Sure, they seemed like nice people, but it had only just dawned me that I really hadn't thought of Pokemon this way... ever, really. A part of me wanted to call all of this off right now, and yet walking out of things like that never really sat well with me.</p><p>Those thoughts slowly simmered away as I lead the group to my hotel room. I shut the door behind me after letting Neera join the other inside. The Pokemon unsheathed her legs as she entered, probably liking the smooth flooring in here more than the carpet in the halls.</p><p>"Wow, I need to book a room here sometime. I swore this place was a business building." Felix exclaimed as he and the others walked into the main room. "Hey Reva, wanna sit next to me?"</p><p>"What a gentleman. Sure." Reva replied, joining the other man on the couch. Fulla then reached into her backpack, pulling out a Pokeball she promptly opened. Her Gardevoir waved its hands as it materialized, taking a seat at her side.</p><p>"So, uh... what now?" I asked, sitting on the bedsheets. The bed had recently been made, as the covers where in perfect order. Perfect enough for Luda to sit directly next to me, assuming a straight posture as if he was being interviewed.</p><p>"Well, since you're new, I think we should all lend our advice, show you some thing, you know?" Luda asked, holding his hand out.</p><p>"Yes." I replied as blatantly as I could.</p><p>"First off, if I may ask." Fulla started. "Have you already had sex with Neera?"</p><p>"Kinda?" I admitted. "Just oral stuff, nothing serious."</p><p>"Oral is very serious." Andro replied, surprised. "It's not just something to take for granted."</p><p>"Before I say anything more, I just want you to know that if we're making you uncomfortable in any way, or explaining to much, please tell me." Luda explained.</p><p>"I'll take all the advice you have, if you want to provide." I explained.</p><p>"Excellent!" Fulla cheered. "First thing's first; let's talk about your new life as Pokephilia Trainer. What do you think is the biggest challenge with trying to have relationships with Pokemon?"</p><p>"Uhh..." I hummed, thinking. "Getting impaled by a nine yard long Wailord dick?"</p><p>The room suddenly burst out into hysterical laughter at my comment. I shrunk back a bit as I started to feel warmth near my mouth. Hopefully, that offhand comment wasn't accurate in any capacity.</p><p>"That's a good one...! But no." Fulla continued, settling the group down. "The biggest issue with us is that we don't speak the same language."</p><p>"If we did, I reckon the whole world would be filled with people like us." Andro added.</p><p>"That makes sense. So... what do we do about it?" I asked.</p><p>"You've already got that down to a point." Arrioh nervously added in. "With the hand gestures you do with your partner..."</p><p>"Yep. A good tip: remember that Pokemon are just as smart, if not smarter than we are." Reva explained. "So make sure you're not in for just their body."</p><p>"Loving a Pokemon is just like, if not moreso, like loving a person. If your personalities don't click, you won't click at all." Fulla added.</p><p>"Neera and I seem to love each other for more than just our bodies... right?" I asked.</p><p>"Fi." Neera replied, shaking her head as she slipped her fingers inbetween mine.</p><p>"You two are really well set already, for being a one-day couple." Fulla remarked. "I'm completely serious when I say this, you're a really nice guy at heart."</p><p>"I don't think so." I sighed. "Just a normal guy who got lucky, really."</p><p>"Look at it this way." Luda started. "Someone would've eventually gotten your partner. The fact that you have her instead of them isn't luck at all. Think of it from her perspective. A lot of trainers would've never given her such affection, let alone give her the love that you have."</p><p>"Pokephilia isn't a mental illness or anything. And it sure as hell doesn't feel wrong to me." Arrioh stated.</p><p>"None of us are experts on this stuff, you know." Luda explained. "But we all try our best to be good lovers to our partners... and each other."</p><p>"No, I believe you." I responded. "I've never felt this way, ever, and I don't want it to go away."</p><p>"Good." Felix nodded. "Now... how about talk about something more fun?"</p><p>"I was thinking we'd get there eventually." I said, unable to not smile, albeit nervously.</p><p>"I think we should help you out first." Reva grinned. "What do you think, Fulla?"</p><p>"That sounds like a plan." Fulla replied. She and her friend flipped off their tops at inhuman speeds, undoing their bras almost simultaneously. "The best way to learn how to pleasure a woman is from one."</p><p>"W-what do you mean?" I stuttered. I think I was going to have my first experiences with another human...</p><p>"If you don't want to have some fun with us, that's perfectly fine. We don't want to rape you." Reva explained, crossing her arms under her bust.</p><p>"I mean... will you get upset, Neera?" I asked.</p><p>"Fini!" Neera replied, quickly shaking her head.</p><p>"I think she wants to watch." Luda noted. "Take notes, perhaps?"</p><p>"Fii!" Neera cheered, giving a thumbs-up.</p><p>"Erm... okay..." I said, embarrassed.</p><p>"One more thing they forgot to mention..." Arrioh softly said. "I hope you and Neera will try a bunch of different partners. I... I think it's fun to explore different Pokemon and People. If people can get together and fight... why can't they get together and be happy?"</p><p>"That's a good point." I replied. Being so sexually open and active definitely sounded fun... but I guess it was time to see if that was true. Although, I was a bit worried... the guys might try and teach Neera a few things, and what if she liked them more than me?<br/>"So are you guys just gonna look at us, or join in on the fun?" Fulla asked, letting her Pacharisu onto her shoulder.</p><p>"Sorry for not wanting to make this about me." Luda said, rolling his eyes. He stood up, joining the other men in taking off their clothes. To my surprise, they didn't throw them into a random corner of the room; they neatly folded them into stacks, setting them on the table. Now that everyone was naked... I think it was time for me to join them. I unzipped my pants, grabbing my boxers along with them. After getting my shirt off, I tried to fold them like the others did, setting down a quite sloppy job on the table.</p><p>"You're very handsome, William." Fulla smiled, walking over to me.</p><p>"You're kidding, right?" I asked. Sure, I wasn't ugly, but I definitely wasn't muscular or anything. My stomach had a bit of a hill to it, and I wasn't bulging with arm muscles either.</p><p>"Hey, I think you're just fine." Luda explained. "I think muscles are overrated. I much prefer a gentle curvature, even in guys."</p><p>"Nobody's perfect." Fulla explained. "But everyone's beautiful in their own way."</p><p>"Fini." Neera piped up. The girl stood up off the bed, leaving her shell behind. The Pokemon wanted to join the group, I guess. She definitely fit in nicely, her thicker, more round figure making her stand apart from the other girls. That, and the ever-growing tip sticking out from inbetween her legs.</p><p>"What the..." Andro gawked. "Is that what I think it is?"</p><p>"No way!" Reva gasped, making Neera tilt her head in confusion. "She has a..."</p><p>"A dick? Yeah." I responded. "It surprised me a bit at first."</p><p>"I've heard about Intersexual Pokemon, but I've never actually seen one. Does that mean you're bisexual?" Luda asked.</p><p>"Uhh..." I stammered. "I guess? It never seemed important to consider it..."</p><p>"I see, I see." Andro notes. "But what do you think of the three of us guys?"</p><p>"Well..." I started, trying to look at them with an open mind. Each one of them had a different build, with Arrioh being the thinnest, and Andro the thickest. Their... lower regions had all risen to attention. Arrioh had girth on his side, while the two others were longer but less thick than he was. My chest fluttered a bit... I remembered back when I was young, innocent and finding porn of males. Perhaps I hadn't left that region alone because of disgust, but embarrassment? I looked down for a moment...<br/>I wasn't completely erect, but the process had started. Yep. There was no doubting it now.</p><p>"Guess I am." I admitted.</p><p>"Awesome! Welcome to the crew!" Felix cheered.</p><p>"I assume you are all bisexual as well?" I asked.</p><p>"Yup. It's the best of both worlds, really." Luda explained. "There's nothing wrong with a little shared love, right?"</p><p>"I guess not." I nodded.</p><p>"Good." Luda smiled. "Because you're going to get some advice from us first!"</p><p>"Uhh... okay." I responded.</p><p>"I'm gonna love every second of this." Reva smiled.</p><p>"Now then, mister." Luda softly said, his voice becoming more friendly and welcoming. "Why don't you have a seat near the back of the bed here?"</p><p>"Sure..." I stammered, sitting back down on the sheets. I pushed myself near the pillows, resting my back on one of them. The others started lining themselves around the bed, watching me. But their eyes weren't sinister, creepy or even lustful. They were welcoming, with happy expressions. I felt like a part of a family. Even Neera kneeled at the side of the bed, moving her shell off of it to give us more room.</p><p>"Who wants to go first?" Reva asked, looking over at the males.</p><p>"Well, might as well." Andro shrugged. He got onto the bed, sitting on his knees beside me. "Hopefully, this time I won't be interrupted before I'm finished. If you want me to stop at any time, just say so."</p><p>The man held out his hand towards me, placing it at the base of my shaft. His fingers were surprisingly warm, like he had been holding them out in front of a fire. His grip was very loose... unlike what my own usually was. But once again, I found myself at awe as he began to slowly stroke it, the feeling alien to what I had ever experienced before.</p><p>"One thing I have to say about sex..." Andro softly said. "...is that you aren't baking a cake. Don't take steps, explore... the journey's the best part, not the end."</p><p>"I-... yeah..." I moaned, unable to come up with a legitimate response. I wasn't going to find it either, because Andro quickly leaned down, holding up my soft tip, taking it into his lips. A wet tongue pressed onto me, slowly moving along without restraint. I shivered a bit, finding hard to avoid making a silly noise.</p><p>"Are you alright?" Reva asked.</p><p>"Yeah... I'm j-just not used to this sort of thing." I nervously explained. "I mostly spent my time in university studying..."</p><p>"Really?" Reva tilted her head. "You seem like a handsome and nice guy. The shyness is certainly plain to see."</p><p>"Mmm..." I sighed, trying to fight the pleasure to give a straight answer. "I can muster some confidence..."</p><p>"Oh?" Andro asked, his tongue still lapping at me.</p><p>"Unless it will r-ruin the moment." I cracked a smile.</p><p>"Ini." Neera said, gaining my attention.</p><p>"What is it gi-" I started to ask, before my sentence was cut short by a pair of lips. I tilted my head to let her move deeper, my tongue pulling hers out of hiding. I wasn't an expert at kissing by any means, and she probably wasn't either... as if that mattered. Huh... there was some kind of pizza-like taste lingering in her maw. I wonder where it came from... heh...</p><p>"Woooooah!" Andro gasped, making the two of us pull away from each other. The man had pulled his lips away from me, and along with the others, were observing my shaft. Hoh boy, it looked silly standing tall like that.</p><p>"It's huge!" Fulla exclaimed.</p><p>"Yeah. It's a pain." I explained.</p><p>"Dude, I'd pay a thousand bucks to have one like yours!" Luda gawked. "Is it all natural?"</p><p>"Not technically." I frowned.</p><p>"What do you mean?" Andro asked.</p><p>"I don't wanna ruin the mood." I dismissively said, looking at the naked male who still had a few fingers on the base of my member.</p><p>"It won't ruin anything." Andro smiled "Maybe I can take your mind off it, too. No matter how it got here, it tastes rather fine, and well washed."</p><p>"Uhh... ah..." I stammered, lost for words.</p><p>"So. What's your story?" Felix asked.</p><p>"Well..." I blushed. "It's a defect..  it was never supposed to grow this big. I prefer to just... not think about it."</p><p>"I think it looks great. You should be grateful." Andro smiled.</p><p>"I never really give it any attention. There was never anything to gain from thinking much about it." I explained.</p><p>"I disagree. That's something to be proud of." Fulla cheered.</p><p>"Even so, like... what good does it do?" I asked. "Even Neera couldn't take more than a few inches of me, let alone all of this. Most of it just goes to waste."</p><p>"Fini!" Neera chirped, holding her own, now fully erect member. She really did have almost a carbon copy of mine.</p><p>"Huh... your friend shares your endowment..." Arrioh commented "And so what? I don't think anyone here can say it's a bad thing."</p><p>"If anything, there's just more to work with." Andro smiled, moving his other hand onto my length. His fingers gently stroked themselves along it, a moderate bit of skin following suit. Both his hands met centerstage before splitting back towards the tip and hilt, and then again.</p><p>"So, how are you finding your adventures in Vibreal so far?" Andro sweetly asked, gently tapping my shaft against his cheek.</p><p>"It's n-not what I expected, t-that's for sure~" I swooned.</p><p>"Fini!" Neera happily chirped. Her member bounced as she did, the innocence on her face clashing with her body.</p><p>"Hey, Neera... let me get that." I softly said, reaching my hand out for her. Her pitch black shaft was still velvety as ever... but now, I could feel it wriggling and pulsing in my palm. Its little movements reminded me that it was alive, a heartbeat somewhere in its motions. I placed my hand at her base, loosely gripping as I pulled upwards. Her skin fell through my fingers as I worked my way up, her moist, slick skin completely otherworldly. Neera folded her arms around her breasts as her smile curved wide, and her hair flowed two and fro. "D-Don't think I'd leave you out so easily... y-you're too cute when you're flustered~"</p><p>"Ni..." Neera softly replied, her lashes beating. "Fini-ni-ni."</p><p>"Are you sure you two haven't known each other longer?" Fulla asked.</p><p>"Yeah, but she's a sweetheart. I think we're going to have a lot more days like t-this." I smiled. "Maybe a few th-housand..."</p><p>"Hey, let's get through this one, alright?" Andro asked, pulling myself onto his knees.</p><p>"Huh? Isn't there more?" I curiously asked.</p><p>"Did you not enjoy yourself?" Andro asked.</p><p>"Well... I definitely did." I nodded.</p><p>"Then I did a good job!" Andro laughed. "Everyone has their own tastes and favorite places to be touched. Now then, how about we move along?"</p><p>"What do you have in mind?" I asked.</p><p>"Ini~!" Neera suddenly yelled, diving onto the bed almost instantly! Her lightweight form felt like a giant pillow had just been thrown at me, the Pokemon wrapping her arms around my neck. She nuzzled her cheek against mine... she was overwhelmingly warm and soft...</p><p>"I think you don't need much help." Reva commented. "You two aren't having any issues."</p><p>"I guess not..." I smiled. "Neera, do what you want to do, whatever it is."</p><p>"Fi-fi-fi!" Neera chirped, pulling back a bit. A small orb of water formed in her lips, which she proceeded to drop right on top of our members as they rubbed together. But the bubble didn't burst; it slid along down our shafts, neatly coating the two of them in water. But as soon as it hit our hilts, it burst like a bomb to coat the sheets below us as well. Neera nervously smiled, probably not intending for the sloppy ending.</p><p>"That's a good idea." I sweetly said as Neera dragged her body forwards, my member falling into her butt's crevice. She reached her hand backwards, rubbing me against herself, the my tip rubbing against her rear while her moist lips warmed my shaft.</p><p>"Y-you might want me in the other hole..." I moaned, the Tapu Fini shifting herself. Her balls squished against my upper shaft as my tip navigated her dark skin, until the feeling of her juices had crept all the way up.</p><p>"Fiii~!" Neera moaned, shivering a bit. Her own penis gently bobbed in place, her glittering eyes taking a glance down at our point of contact. I could only imagine the things going through her head... </p><p>"Neera, do you want to..." I asked, getting a nod before I had even finished.</p><p>"Yeah!" Felix cheered, the others joining him in observation of our lovemaking. I held Neera by her hips, guiding her towards the tip of my shaft, her own penis inches from my nose. The room grew silent as my tip entered her, and not a breath escaped from either of our lips. A united sigh carried me deeper as she leaned back. Her insides snuggled me far tighter than I had expected... a soft squish broke the silence of the crowded room, finding myself quickly compressed by her insides as I sunk inside her. And she was still going... was she going to be able to take it all? Her insides were quickly becoming like a vice... she had taken over half of me. Her walls felt like solid water, smooth and wet, but completely unphased by my intrusion.</p><p>"Neera~..." I moaned. "D-don't take more if it hurts."</p><p>"Fiii~" Neera swooned, still slowly pushing me in... the amount she had taken in was unnatural... for a human, at least. I reached my hand out to softly run my fingers around her nipples, making the girl giggle.</p><p>And then... I found my tip pressing against something. She had taken me in as far as she could in her current position, much father than should have been possible. With the last inch, I found myself pressing tightly against some sort of barrier, likely the entrance to her womb. The girl continued to press against me, as if she wanted even more.</p><p>"Are you... okay?" I softly asked.</p><p>"Ni..." Neera replied, slowly moving one of her hands towards me in a thumbs up position.</p><p>"You feel astounding, Neera..." I responded, taking my hand off of her. She too decided to pull away, rising off of me... only to slowly slip back down, pressing me to my hilt again! "AAAAAAAaaaaahhh~" I couldn't help it. It was too good... everything! I could die right now, and have no regrets whatsoever.</p><p>Placing my hands on the girl's hips, I guided her back up and down my shaft, rubbing her scrumptious innards. Her member began slapping against my chest, staining my skin with drops of precum. A tiny squirt materialized on her tip with each hilting, only to be flinged onto me on the way up.</p><p>"FINI~!" Neera cooed, pressing her body against me. A small string shot out of her, landing just beneath my neck. Her hot breath flew over my shoulder, and her body ceased to move. The bits of sweat on her skin were nearly hidden by its color, but I didn't have to ask her to know she was tired.</p><p>"For your first time, you're doing wonderfully." I smiled, rubbing my hand along her thick strands of hair. With her having reached her orgasm, I took to guiding her, moving myself as slowly as I could. I didn't need speed to appreciate her warmth, both internal and external.</p><p>"You two are quite cute together." Luda happily said, drawing my attention.</p><p>"A-Are you guys going to do things with yourselves?" I asked.</p><p>"Nah, I think I'm fine just being an observer." Fulla commented. "Don't let us interrupt you."</p><p>"I think we're just about finished..." I moaned, finally pulling myself to a stop. I waited as Neera's warmth and tightness brought my orgasm to me, making me twitch as the small pulses traveled up my shaft, directly up against the fast-beating end of her tunnel. Neera squeezed me tight as I shot against or into it... I couldn't tell. Her heartbeat then began to slow as she pulled away from me, making eye contact. Her teary eyes were filled with passion, just as her touch was, her hands placed firmly on my chest.<br/>And then... I started to see the wetness in my own eyes... but something was... there. Inside the small drops of liquid.</p><p>There was an outline... and even though it was completely unknown to me... I felt comforted, relieved even.</p><p>And then, a sweet, heavenly voice...</p><p>This... this is...</p><p>And nothing else came. Neera continued slapping herself against my lap, her smile still as wide as ever.</p><p>"Neera, did you..." I started, throwing out a wild guess that those words had come from her.</p><p>"Fini..." Neera replied, falling back onto me. My shaft was growing softer, but it was still deep inside of her. And then, the covers shifted, back and forth, as the others began to take their own spots around us, their body heat resting around us.</p><p>"Mind if we rest together?" Arrioh nervously asked.</p><p>"Not at all..." I responded.</p><p>"You definitely deserve that Technical Machine I was talking about... I'll give it to you tomorrow... I'm a bit sleepy, admittedly." Andro yawned.</p><p>"Me too. But despite what happened, I'm happy." Fulla added.</p><p>"Being the only one with that silly artifact still, I can certainly say you lucked out finding your girl..." Felix jokingly said.</p><p>"Hey..." Reva exclaimed, getting up from her current position. She pressed her body against Felix, her fingers guiding his half-erect member into her. "I can make you feel just as fortunate..."</p><p>"Can we sleep like this?" Felix asked.</p><p>"Of course we can." Reva smiled.</p><p>"Fulla?" Arrioh asked.</p><p>"Sleepy..." Fulla giggled before rolling on top of the smaller boy. "...but okay. You'd better wake me up if you're going to start thrusting, though."</p><p>"D-deal!" Arrioh cheered.</p><p>"I don't get you guys." Luda rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Love you all."</p><p>"Love you too~!" Reva swooned.</p><p>"Fini fi!" Neera added. I still couldn't understand what she had said, but I think I knew what she meant.</p><p>"I love you too."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. The Score</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>No matter how old I got, dreams never got less weird. They always seemed like random babblings completely unrelated to... anything, really. Nothing about my recent adventures, my new friends, or Neera. I peaked open my eyes, finding the glittering girl still fast asleep in front of me. Her expressionless face made me wonder what she was dreaming about. Probably equal amounts of nonsense.</p><p>Wait. Something was... off about her. It wasn't her face, or her form... it was her hair. Had it... grown? I don't remember it being like that... the twin strands I remembered had been replaced by a giant, fluffy cloud of periwinkle. It must have gotten undone, with all the movement that she had done the night before. A moment later, the bed suddenly shifted... one of the others probably had gotten up for an early drink of water or something. Then, I heard a small jolt of electricity as the television booted on, the volume coming on light before drowning out. The owner of the controller was kind enough to try not to bother the rest of us. How nice of them.</p><p>"Hey, guys and gals! You're going to want to see this!" Luda suddenly yelled. So much for that.</p><p>"Ugg... what's up?" I moaned, turning to face the television.</p><p>"It's news about that guy that attacked us!" Luda hastily explained. Instantly the room sprung to life as everyone, myself included, jolted awake in full focus of the screen. Neera yawned as she opened her eyes, leaning against me as she joined us in watching the show.</p><p>"...-an unknown amount of suspects were involved in the raid." The newswoman sternly explained.</p><p>"Four people?" Fulla asked.</p><p>"Shush!" Reva shouted.</p><p>"Property damage to the Tazmarine Historical Museum was fortunately kept to a minimum." The woman continued. "Authorities state that the theft of a large exhibit, housing a number of objects referred to as Seafloor Fragments, was single target of the thieves. However, with little leads, some have been lead to believe that the attack may have been orchestrated by the Cheshire Expeditionary Society themselves, although this too is of much conjecture."</p><p>The screen suddenly transferred into a different view, showing the inside of a building with bright yellow walls lined with paintings. A man was the focus of the shot, a label just below him showing 'Marley Polenew - Cheshire Archeologist'.</p><p>"We are not sure who executed the robbery, or why." Marley explained, his eyebrows forming a hill steeper than the mountains in the region. "The objects that were taken were not only of little value, but were also being distributed to the general public. We can only hope that nothing else is taken from the museum."</p><p>"Thank you, mister Marley." The newswoman said as the shot of the newsroom reappeared. "The suspects in question were described as wearing black trench coats. If you know any whereabouts of these individuals, please contact the authorities."</p><p>"There goes our replacement fragments." Reva whined.</p><p>"I'm just curious about what all this is about." Luda explained.</p><p>"Stealing from a museum... I want to give that motherfucker a piece of my mind!" Reva angrily explained.</p><p>"Maybe they have some backup fragments?" Andro exclaimed.</p><p>"You think they didn't steal all of them?" Felix asked.</p><p>"I mean... they didn't say they stole ALL of them..." Andro remarked.</p><p>"Might as well check, I guess." Luda nodded.</p><p>"Do you guys want me to come with you?" I asked.</p><p>"Nah." Fulla responded. "We've got this, right guys?"</p><p>"Hell yeah we do. Nobody messes with you guys and gets away with it!" Andro cheered.</p><p>"I thought you guys traveled as a group? Or am I just not in it?" I asked.</p><p>"Fulla, Felix and I travel together, and Reva and Andro go together." Luda explained. "We just met up when we were fighting the gym here in the city."</p><p>"Hey, you and Arrioh should go together!" Fulla cheered. "You know, be traveling partners!"</p><p>"I... no." Arrioh sighed. "I think I should just go alone."</p><p>"Come on, you'd be great together." Reva advised.</p><p>"I wouldn't mind it." I shrugged. "It sounds like fun, honestly."</p><p>"Sorry, but no." Arrioh sighed. "I've got other arrangements."</p><p>"Okay then. Sorry." I sadly said, backing off.</p><p>"That does give me an idea though." Reva noted. "You should try and find another Pokemon, and go challenge the Gym."</p><p>"Hmm. Are you sure you guys don't need us?" I asked.</p><p>"Fiiiii?" Neera added, probably reinforcing my point.</p><p>"Hold on one second." Felix said. "What happened to Neera?"</p><p>"Ni?" Neera puzzledly asked, looking at herself.</p><p>"Her hair is gigantic." Luda explained. He wasn't wrong. It was flowing off the side of the bed and onto the ground, almost completely covering up her shell.</p><p>"Ni-ni." Neera explained, grabbing some of her hair in a hand. She pulled on it, and the bunch she had grabbed tightened, looking very similar to how it had looked before, if not identical.</p><p>"Hey, I think it looks great the way it was." I explained. "N-not that I don't like it the other way."</p><p>"Fi!" Neera smiled, letting her hair go, the strands fluffing up again.</p><p>"Anyways... it's no issue." Reva explained. "We've got this under control. You have your adventure ahead of you."</p><p>"Is there any way I can keep in touch with you all?" I asked. "I have a Holo Caster, if I could have your contact numbers."</p><p>"Hell yeah!" Andro cheered. "I've always wanted to get a guy's number."</p><p>"You have mine... " Luda frowned.</p><p>"Yeah, but he's bigger than you." Andro teased.</p><p>"Can we please not talk about my dick?" I nervously asked.</p><p>"Oh, I could go on for hours about it." Fulla smiled.</p><p>"Please stop..." I blushed.</p><p>"What? Was that joke hard to swallow?" Fulla moaned.</p><p>"Okay, that's enough." Luda rolled his eyes.</p><p>"What's your number?" Reva asked.</p><p>"Two hundred thousand, twenty-eight." I explained. I had my number down to a tee, to say the least.</p><p>"Gotcha." Reva replied. "Lemme just get mine from my clothes."</p><p>"And put them on." Felix suggested, reaching for his own.</p><p>"Of course I am." Reva sighed. "Besides, they're-"</p><p>A few knocks silenced the woman's response. There was only one person that could be.</p><p>"One moment!" I yelled, trying to think of... no. No point in hiding it. I lowered my voice. "Do you mind if I let my friend in?"</p><p>"Do you want us to get dressed first?" Fulla whispered, even though she was already dressing up.</p><p>"No, I think it'll get the point across." I quietly explained. Fulla nodded, and the others followed suit. Even Arrioh nodded... so there was no reason not to do it. I took a deep breath as I headed towards the door, looking through the glass. Sure enough, Isaac and his grassy snake were on the other side.</p><p>"Fiii?" Neera asked. Her hair was blocking the view of everyone else... but I wasn't goings to tell her to go away. I was going to open the door instead.</p><p>"Hey..." Isaac happily said before catching on to what was going on. "Uhh... is now a bad time?"</p><p>"Not at all. What's going on?" I smiled.</p><p>"I was... going to ask you the same question." Isaac replied. "Uhh... it's going okay, I guess..."</p><p>"Ser?" Synergy questionably exclaimed.</p><p>"So, what are you doing up here for today?" I asked. "I was planning on catching another Pokemon and fighting the Gym here."</p><p>"M-maybe you should get dressed first." Isaac advised.</p><p>"That reminds me!" I exclaimed. "We should go down to get me some new clothes to go with that backpack."</p><p>"Any will do, just... why the shock factor man?" Isaac nervously asked.</p><p>"That wasn't the intention." I explained. "Care to come in?"</p><p>"Sure..." Isaac nodded, reaching into his pocket. "I'll get you back out as soon as there's room, okay?"</p><p>"Perior." Synergy responded, turning away from her trainer as he returned her to a Pokeball.</p><p>"Right this way, sir." I beamed, showing the man inside. His eyes remained firmly locked on Neera as he entered, so much so that he almost didn't notice the group of people standing inside. Almost/</p><p>"Hey there." Luda waved, catching Isaac's dumbfounded expression.</p><p>"Umm... hello..." Isaac replied.</p><p>"I figured this would be the best way to tell you." I explained. "Or are you not following me?"</p><p>"Not quite..." Isaac replied. "But I assume it's a long story that I'm not going to understand."</p><p>"Nope. It's actually not that complicated." I grinned. "Neera here, she... may have opened my eyes to some new possibilities. And I met some friends with like minds."</p><p>"I'm Luda." The man explained, pointing to the others when he gave their names. "And this is Felix, Andro, Arrioh, and Fulla."</p><p>"Nice to meet you all, but... what do you mean?" Isaac asked.</p><p>"Pokephilia. I'm talking about Pokephilia." I explained. Isaac bit his lip, turning his back to me.</p><p>"Oh..." Isaac softly remarked. I cocked my head as I got back within his line of sight.</p><p>"Is that a problem?" I asked.</p><p>"No... I... I thought..." Isaac stammered.</p><p>"I think I know what you're saying." Fulla spoke up. "You're into it too, but you're shy about it."</p><p>"M-maybe." Isaac kicked the floor.</p><p>"Wait, you're serious?" I asked, my eyes wide.</p><p>"Y-yeah..." Isaac sighed. "But I've never done anything about it. I've only had feelings, okay? And it wasn't like I was going to ask you for advice..."</p><p>"Hey, if you told me a week ago, nothing would've changed between us." I smiled.</p><p>"I don't know... we'll never know, I guess." Isaac shrugged. He turned back to the group, his face redder than I had ever seen it.</p><p>"I'd say things turned out pre-tty well." I beamed.</p><p>"Fiii~!" Neera cheered, bouncing up and down. I would've thought that jumping on her own hair would've been a bit painful, but I guess not.</p><p>"You're great, Neera." I smiled. "Now then... what did you want to do today?"</p><p>"Well, I was hoping we could go scout out the gym..." Isaac admitted.</p><p>"And you already know my plans on that. Would you like to come along?" I asked.</p><p>"Y-yeah. Maybe you can give me some pointers on... things, if you wouldn't mind."</p><p>"I wouldn't mind at all."</p><p>"Thank you. Can I just ask, uh... how are you so casual about this?"</p><p>"You're kidding, right?." I replied, putting on the most nervous smile of my life. "I'm shaking in my boots right now..."</p><p>Isaac wasted no time in dodging from the room as the others got dressed, going on their way. With my new backpack and hair-scale in place, I gathered up my things and left. As much as I liked the apartment, it wasn't much of an adventure being in a metropolis, no matter how... environmentally minded it was. Synergy seemed to like it though, having been released from her ball shortly after we left the building. A part of me expected Isaac to keep her put away so that we could talk about... sensual things, but... if I knew the man in question, that seemed like the last thing he'd do. He was probably scheming some master plan to win the serpent over in the silliest way possible. It was a shame too; I had a ton of good ideas. Bad ideas? Ideas. Let's just keep it at that.</p><p>The mid-morning marketplace was, as I had predicted, almost completely packed with people. It made sense. The atmosphere was lively, the mist of the ocean was washing between the shops, and there was even an assembly of music somewhere in the distance. Tropical, of course. I had a habit of walking to the beat of songs I was hearing. Still didn't know if it was a good or bad habit, nor did I know if it looked weird. Regardless, I lost my ability to match its beat as we entered one of the clothing stores, the music changing to the soft, atmospheric hum.</p><p>"So, might I ask..." I piped up. "What do people wear around here?"</p><p>"Oh, uh... sorry, I wasn't listening." Isaac stuttered, turning to me with a nervous frown. "Could you repeat that?"</p><p>"I was wondering what people wear around here. So I could get in the theme of things." I explained.</p><p>"Ah, okay." Isaac replied. "Well, you're going to be doing a bit of climbing, and there are quite a few hot and cold areas to deal with. I'd recommend some kind of button-up coat more than anything."</p><p>"Fii." Neera replied, looking around.</p><p>"Perhaps you have an idea of what I should get again?" I asked, getting a thumbs-up. She hadn't failed me yet, so why not give her the privilege again?</p><p>I followed the Pokemon deeper into the store, to a line of jeans. She pointed at the most normal pair, perfect for a long journey. Sure, she picked one a few sizes smaller than what I wore, but no harm done. Three pairs should do me, I think. Next, she walked me over to an isle filled with different kinds of shirts. With so much variety, she might as well picked any of them.</p><p>"Fiii." Neera cooed, taking great care not to crash her shell into anything this time. Her bushy hair was still almost completely contained within it, so there wasn't a high chance of stray hairs getting on anything. Still, she was learning from her mistakes rather quickly... I probably would haven't been as careful.</p><p>"Nii." Neera hummed, folding her lip.</p><p>"I have a few shirts already." I explained, pushing up my bag. "No worries if it's not perfect."</p><p>"I think you should get a white shirt." Isaac advised.</p><p>"Any reason for that?" I asked.</p><p>"Eh, you've always pulled off that color well." Isaac shrugged.</p><p>"I never saw it, but alright." I smirked, reaching for a blank white shirt. It had a single pocket, which was always useful. Neera seemed to be having a sort of fascination with a dark-blue one, so that had to be the second choice.</p><p>"Fii!" Neera cheered, hopping in place as I placed the shirt on top of the other clothes I had yet to buy.</p><p>"You seem pretty excited to buy clothes. Maybe you'd want some?" I wickedly asked.</p><p>"Niiii...!" Neera whined, shaking her head.</p><p>"What's her thing against clothes?" Isaac curiously asked.</p><p>"Ni-ni." Neera replied. She pointed at me before folding her hands into a little heart.</p><p>"I'm not going to say I don't love how you look. But you're a good person on the inside, too. Not-I didn't mean that literally. You have a good personality. That's what I meant." I quickly corrected myself, quickly figuring after the fact that my correction had only alluded to... different meanings.</p><p>"Fi!" Neera happily replied, her cheeks burning.</p><p>"Don't waste all your happiness here." Isaac advised.</p><p>"So far, I'm certain she has an infinite supply of it." I explained.</p><p>"Ser." Synergy added.</p><p>"Fi, fi." Neera replied. The Serperior turned its head to Isaac before raising her eye. Her trainer didn't give it a second thought, but I very well knew what had just happened. I lead Neera and the others out of the isle, leaning in to talk to her for a moment.<br/>"I know you were trying to be nice, but you shouldn't have done that." I whispered.</p><p>"Fiiii..." Neera responded, her shell closing ever so slightly.</p><p>"It's okay. Just keep it in mind. You do a lot more things right than wrong." I explained, returning the smile to her face. Isaac hadn't heard me, thankfully, which let us move on to the heavier top isle without a worry in my mind.</p><p>Neera quickly went to work looking at the coats, taking short glances at me before returning to her work. Isaac and his Pokemon stood close by, with the large snake tapping the tips of its hands... leaves... things together. She wasn't impatient, just nervous. When she turned her head, I mouthed 'Welcome to the club.', making her grin.</p><p>"Fini." Neera exclaimed, pulling a coat off the rack to hold in front of me.</p><p>"Huh..." I hummed, looking at her choice. It was a brown coat, with frills on the ends of the arms. It looked tough, the fabric likely able to take quite a beating. Six black buttons kept it together. It looked good, I'm not gonna lie.</p><p>"I like it." Isaac stated.</p><p>"I do too." I replied. "Let's see how it looks."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Beach and Bastion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As it turns out, the store didn't have any changing rooms, so I had to buy the clothes, and head into the nearby restroom to give them a try. Neera, however, didn't understand the concept of gender-specific bathrooms... it took a lot of talking to keep her outside with the others. Just because she had a dick some of the time, didn't mean she could casually walk in with me.</p><p>The clothes themselves felt like a breath of fresh air. I kept the coat unbuttoned, mostly because of the heat. Even with it, though, I didn't feel weighed down by it. I could definitely feel my old clothes in my bag, making it slightly heavier, but I could manage.</p><p>Well... time to go see what the others thought of my new look. I placed my Mega Scale back into my hair as I took my bag and stepped out into the world. The sounds of the ocean welcomed me into the open air, along with the calls of distant birds overhead. Oh, and Isaac, Synergy, and Neera were there, too.</p><p>"Stylish, but practical." Isaac exclaimed, tapping his foot.</p><p>"I never knew you to be big into fashion." I noted.</p><p>"I'm not. I just like how it looks." Isaac shrugged.</p><p>"Fiii." Neera added, smiling.</p><p>"You like it too?" I asked.</p><p>"I think she was saying she was hungry." Isaac explained. Neera tensed up, glaring at my friend.</p><p>"I don't think so." I smiled. "Not even close."</p><p>"Oh well. Was it worth the cost?" Isaac asked.</p><p>"I'd say so." I replied, looking at my sleeve. The tassels... was that what they were called...? The tassels were definitely different compared to what I was used to, but there was no doubt that it would last.</p><p>"You know, I really should've gotten something." Isaac noted. "I've just had this inner urge to get something, you know?"</p><p>"I think I do. Like that feeling you have when you ask for a small slice of cake?" I asked.</p><p>"But you want half the thing?" Isaac smiled.</p><p>"Bingo." I replied. "It's not too late, if you want something."</p><p>"Nah, I'll get something later. Anyways... so, mister. What kind of Pokemon do you want? There's a lot of places to look for another happy face."</p><p>"How about the Lagoon?" I asked, looking towards the ocean. "There's probably a few Pokemon there."</p><p>"Sounds like a plan to me. Let's check it out." Isaac nodded, grouping up with his Snake as Neera and I followed him. Her expression had recovered from Isaacs meddling at least. She reached her hand out, slipping one of the tassles through her webbed fingers. She continued fiddling with them, unable to grab one.</p><p>"I don't know what they do either." I said, making the Pokemon perk her lips.</p><p>"We train, we make jokes, and win battles. Sometimes." Isaac replied.</p><p>"I wasn't talking about you guys." I responded.</p><p>"Didn't think so." Isaac responded. He crossed his arms as Neera and I followed behind, off the sidewalk and towards the beach. The city grew surprisingly silent as we left the mall, letting the cool noises of the lapping ocean fill my ears. Sand quickly began to shift under my feet, but it wasn't smooth, perfect sand. It was filled with rocks and gravel, without any signs of human tampering. It wasn't a perfect beach for a day out, but that was what was great: it was natural.</p><p>Neera, however, almost instantly withdrew her legs back into her shell when her feet touched the gritty sand. They were likely still very gentle and sensitive, so I wasn't going to blame her. The Serperior wasn't having any issues though, and good for her. She curled up just at the point where the water began to flow, nestling her head on a lower part of her body.</p><p>"So, where to look?" I asked.</p><p>"Well, take a look around." Isaac suggested. As obvious as it was, I hadn't really taken a critical look as to what was around me. First off, the sand itself was rather calm, the low tides having swept away the shoreline water-types. But speaking of Water-types, there was a Vapreon nearby. Several, in fact, sitting atop one of the nearby rocks.</p><p>They weren't normal blue Vaporeon, though. Their skin was jet-black, and the fins around their heads looked almost sharp. Their bodies were lined with strange, glowing marks that seemed eeriely welcoming. Each pattern seemed different, save for the bright blue mark on their foreheads.</p><p>"So those are the Vaporeon?" I curiously asked. Almost instantly, the group of Pokemon turned their attention towards me. One of them even crouched down, wagging its fish-like tail in the air like it was ready to pounce. One of its friends tapped a paw on its head, disarming the cheerful Pokemon as the group resumed its morning of sunbathing.</p><p>"Yup. Deep-Sea Vaporeon." Isaac explained. "You'll only find them on the surface here."</p><p>"They look odd. I've never seen anything like it." I noted.</p><p>"Do you want to catch one?" Isaac asked.</p><p>"As cute as they are, I don't want to disturb them." I replied. One thing I had learned from experience instead of school was that capturing a Pokemon from a group wasn't a good idea. That could be a family, and I could grab a daugher who hasn't ever seen a fight, and leave the rest of them devastated. The better way, and what I think will be my favorite, will be finding isolated, alone or willing Pokemon to add to my team. I could've taken the "friends in all places" technique that Drolpil explained, but... with the whole Pokephilia thing, a real team seemed better. That being said, what other Pokemon were nearby?</p><p>"See any Pokemon, Neera?" I asked, turning to the girl.</p><p>"Fiii." Neera positively replied, pointing off towards another section of the beach. A ways further out into the water, I could make out a small, bluish plant of some sort. No, it wasn't a plant. It was a small Pokemon, with tentacles sprouting out of its head. Its inner body, a light shade of purple, appeared to be hunched over. It was watching the Deep Sea Vaporeon with a saddened expression. But what Pokemon was it again...?</p><p>"Mareanie!" I shouted, realizing what the Pokemon was. Its many spikes should have been an instant giveaway, but with so many different kinds of creatures to keep track of... I found trouble on the occasion.</p><p>"Oh?" Isaac asked. "Ah, I see it over there. I never knew you liked Mareanie."</p><p>"I mean..." I started. It wasn't in my favorites, by any means, but neither was Oshawott... or Tapu Fini. The later was definitely up there now, though. As for Mareanie... the Pokemon looked... unhappy. The way it was observing the glowing Vaporeon was almost akin to melencholy, perhaps even jealousy.</p><p>"Stay here for a moment, Neera." I asked, walking forward.</p><p>"That's not a good idea..." Isaac advised. "That's a poison-type. You should be careful."</p><p>I didn't even bother to acknowledge that fact. I let my arms swing at my sides as I headed in its direction. Only when I was a few meters away from it did the Pokemon notice me, quickly jumping back a bit. I couldn't blame it; I was almost six times taller than it. I stopped for a moment, getting onto my hands and knees. My fingers slipped around the small pieces of stone as I approached the Pokemon. The Mareanie parted the tentacles near its head, watching me approach it. It had that look in its eyes that Neera had as an Oshawott.... maybe I have that effect on Pokemon.</p><p>"Mar...?" The Pokemon carefully asked in a high pitched, shy tone. It had to be a female.</p><p>"Hi there." I quietly said, waving my hand towards the Pokemon. It raised up one of its tentacles, repeating the motion. "I see you're a bit focused on those guys over there, aren't you?"</p><p>It did not respond. Instead, it shut its eyes as it turned around, its tentacles shuddering. Then, it began to dig them into the gravel around it, shoveling the grime onto itself.</p><p>"Hey, hey, there's no need for that!" I quickly said, making the Pokemon stop. "It's okay. I know what it feels like. Feeling unpopular, I mean."</p><p>"Eani?" It asked, letting the rocks slide off itself.</p><p>"Let me tell you." I continued, acting as if the Pokemon was an old friend. "I remember how all my classmates made fun of me. Because of the way I acted, what I liked and how I looked."</p><p>"Mar..." She replied, her eyes widening.</p><p>"Do you think I'm ugly, miss?" I asked.</p><p>"Mar-Ie!" She replied, shaking her head. After a brief pause, she folded one of her tentacles, pointing at herself.</p><p>"I don't think you're ugly either." I smiled. "What do you say to the two of us being not-ugly together?"</p><p>I held out a hand for her, watching as the Pokemon crawled its way onto it. I stood up, carrying her up with me. The Mareanie was very similar in weight to Neera, despite being much smaller than her. It wasn't a problem, though. The spikes on her, however, looked to be a bit of an issue... no, I just had to be careful handling her.</p><p>I slowly turned around, my clothes largely untouched by the extremely shallow water. Neera, Synergy and Isaac watched me rejoin them. The other Trainer had probably the dumbest smirk possible strewn across his face.</p><p>"I see you don't even need my combat advice, if you never fight anyone." Isaac exclaimed.</p><p>"Shuddit." I responded. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet the first recruit to our family... Wave!"</p><p>"Mareanie!" The little Pokemon replied, swinging around.</p><p>"Fini?" Neera asked, catching her new teammate's attention. "Fi-ni-ni."</p><p>"Marea... mare." Wave replied. The two Pokemon grinned... them liking each other was a huge plus, at least I hoped they were. If they were being sarcastic... what would I do? Be less happy. There. I'm so savage.</p><p>"You always go with really nice names." Isaac exclaimed.</p><p>"I may put a bit too much thought into it." I admitted. "But do you like it?"</p><p>"Mare!" The Pokemon replied, nodding. Neera stuck out a thumbs up as if I didn't get the message already.</p><p>"So, what do we say we make a name for ourselves?" I asked my friends.</p><p>"You're really going to challenge the gym now?" Isaac curiously asked.</p><p>"Neera's got quite a bit of experience in it, and Wave can watch and learn for herself." I replied. "Which reminds me..."</p><p>I took out my Holo Caster, pointing it towards the Pokemon I was holding. The information for it came up almost instantly, showing me everything I wanted to know:</p><p> </p><p>Mareanie Poison/Water Level 12  Trainer: William   Ability: Regenerator   Known Moves: Mist, Poison Sting, Peck, Bite.</p><p> </p><p>"You seem to already have a bit of fight in you." I noted after the Pokemon's level. Wave's power level intrigued me, making me turn the device towards Neera.</p><p> </p><p>Tapu Fini   Water/Fairy  Level 13   Trainer: William   Ability: ERROR    Known Moves: Misty Terrain, Heal Pulse, Haze, Mist, Withdrawl, Water Gun, Confide, Nature Power, Fairy Wind, Protect, Shell Smash, Water Pulse</p><p> </p><p>"You've grown a lot!" I cheered, putting the device away. "I need to see you use those moves in the upcoming battles. I bet they're going to be great."</p><p>"Fini!" Neera cheered, clapping her hands. Had the battles against Isaac and Andro really been that much...? Wait, that Drapion... it had likely contributed a bit. Whatever the case, the system might have been overestimating her strength... best not to get ahead of myself.</p><p>"Hopefully I can pull my weight just as well." I shrugged. "Only one way to find out."</p>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Blue Crescent</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The journey to the gym wasn't too long, and... honestly not as nerve-racking as I had thought it would be. Neera definitely had me pumped, and Wave was a brilliant addition. The two of them were having a conversation... probably having to do with our... thing. Now that I thought about it, the Maraenie didn't seem as attractive as my other companion. Maybe it was her significantly reduced height, or the fact that she'd probably poison me with that kind of intimate contact. Something to keep in mind in the future.</p><p>"Is that the gym up there?" I asked. A rather unique building sat just a ways up the path. From what I had seen back in Hoenn, the Gyms were usually easy to identify by their similar designs, but this one, assuming it was, stood out simply by existing. Compared to the fine stone buildings of the city, the structure appeared to be made out of beige bricks lined in curved patterns, making it seem more like a shrine of some sort. An astounding view of the cove stretched to either side of it, the afternoon sun shining overhead.</p><p>"That would be it." Isaac replied. "How are you feeling?"</p><p>"Excellent. I think we're gonna do great." I smiled, giving Neera a thumbs-up.</p><p>"Well, don't be expecting any tips from me. It'd ruin the moment." Isaac smirked.</p><p>"You've already done quite enough for me, good sir." I replied. "Thanks for your help."</p><p>"Daw, it was nothing." Isaac responded. "By the way, I couldn't happen to see your current team's weaknesses to Grass and Electric."</p><p>"Probably because you use them exclusively." I exclaimed, glancing at Synergy.</p><p>"Hey, I have Xander too." Isaac puffed.</p><p>"Oh really?" I asked. "And where might he be?"</p><p>"He's lazy. I wasn't going to force him to come." Isaac shrugged as we neared the entrance of the gym.</p><p>"Ah. I'd love to meet him some day." I exclaimed.</p><p>"You will, eventually." Isaac responded. "I'd ask you to come over to my place and talk with him a bit, but I think I'm going to have other things to worry about to-"</p><p>"I insist that you calm down, please."</p><p>The voice came from the entrance to the gym, drawing our collective attention as we neared it. The voice itself spoke in a friendly tone, almost blocked by an inner ice. The man who had spoken wore a dark jacket down to his knees, mirrored by two others in similarly colored clothing. His hair was bright white, and yet his face, clouded by a black bandana covering his lips, showed evidence of youth in him.</p><p>"You-you're not mad?" A female in the group of three asked.</p><p>"I am not." The man continued, crossing his arms behind himself. "You had the tools to win, but not the knowledge. It is a lesson for the both of us."</p><p>"How is this your fault?" One of the other men asked.</p><p>"For giving you a pole and expecting you to pull a Gyarados without any training." The man explained. "Do not worry, your knowledge only grows in defeat. Shall we get going?"</p><p>"Of course, Doan." The first woman responded. The white-haired man nodded, leading the unmasked, young adults away from the gym. He stopped for a moment as he noticed us watching, his eyes dancing between me, Isaac... and Neera. For the brief moment he watched us, I gave him a small wave. For a moment, I thought he appeared similar to the thief from before... yet the design of his getup was much more professional. What I did notice was a strange crest on his chest. It looked like some sort of torch... maybe a lighthouse. Nothing that rang any bells, though. And without any sort of acknowledgement of my motion, he turned his side to us, riding the other side of the road away from us without a single word. Isaac shrugged, walking towards the entrance to the gym. </p><p>"Fiii?" Neera asked, confused.</p><p>"Don't let them distract us. Just some people who had a bad turn of events." I explained. "Let's use their example. Just because we're ready, don't get cocky, okay?"</p><p>"Fiii!" Neera cheered.</p><p>"Maaa!" Wave added, bouncing around on the top of my backpack.</p><p>"Glad to see you're just as excited." I smiled, looking back at the other Pokemon. Not wanting to waste any time, I pushed open one of the double-doors to the gym, holding the door for my companions. My eyes were suddenly filled with the color of blood red. Bright, royal velvet lined the walls, fighting the bright steel floors. The furniture was an elegant mix of bright and metallic, like some kind of modern home. Even the artwork on the walls, giant rocks carved into elegant designs, seemed to be not at a dissonance, but a balance.</p><p>"Welcome." A well-dressed man standing next to the door replied. His robes were a brownish-red shade, falling below his feet. He pushed aside a stray bunch of hair from his eyes as he bowed. His mannerisms reminded me very much of old movies taking place in Johto that I used to watch.</p><p>"Hello." I replied. "This is the gym, I assume."</p><p>"It certainly is." The man replied. "You can consider me the guide for the gym challenge. Do you wish to participate?"</p><p>"Yep. I'm ready." I nodded.</p><p>"Excellent." The man replied with a friendly smile. "Well, let me explain the rules you will have to follow in your challenge."</p><p>The man walked forward into the center of the room, crossing his arms. The entrance WAS very large, enough so that I half expected him to challenge me to  a battle here and now.</p><p>"In this building, you'll find four trainers who are skilled in the ways of Draconic Pokemon, the type choice of this gym. They, and the Gym Leader, are somewhere in the building. Find the Gym Leader and claim victory." The man explained. "Although, I will have to ask your friend, who has already beaten this gym, to remain here. Just to keep things fair."</p><p>"I understand completely." Isaac nodded. "Good luck, Will!"</p><p>"Thanks. I won't let you down." I nodded.</p><p>"Ni." Neera firmly said, standing beside me. The Pokemon gave no objections as we stepped forward into the deeper reaches of the building. The hallway's carpet muffled out my footsteps, reducing the air to near silence.</p><p>The hallway ended in a large, circular room fit with several series of doors.  There were six doors in total, counting the one I had entered in. I took a moment to appreciate the design of the place; the skylight looking up into the cloudy sky above, and the pattern on the floor. But enough was enough... now I had to choose.</p><p>"Which way sounds like the best?" I asked, looking towards my companions.</p><p>"Fi." Neera replied as she and Wave pointed to a door. Neera pointed towards the one closest to our left, while Wave... almost instantly corrected her choice to Neera's. Oh well, at least they somewhat agreed.</p><p>The room to our left was much like the main room; well furnished with a large empty space in the center. Sitting at a desk was a figure cloaked in a similar robe to the man who had greeted us.</p><p>"Hey, are you the Gym Leader?" I called out, catching the figure's attention. They stood up and turned around, revealing themselves to be a young female.</p><p>"I am not." The woman replied, pulling a Pokeball out of her sleeve. "But you should find me a worthy challenge regardless."</p><p>"Alright then, let's go!" I responded. "Neera, let's do this!"</p><p>"Stand at attention, Gible." The woman announced as she sent her Pokeball into the air. Out came a small, admittedly very huggable land shark with a mouth almost as large as its entire body. It waddled in place as it got a grip on its surroundings. "Use Mud Slap."</p><p>"Let's go with Fairy Wind!" I quickly said. Neera reared back as she collected her energy, the other Pokemon gathering something else in its mouth. The Gible shot forth a small bunch of soggy dirt, flying through the air towards my partner. She turned her shell towards the blow just as it was about to make contact, tanking most of the blow, although she did suffer a bit of recoil. She completed her turn with an explosion of pink energy, flooding towards the Gible and knocking it off its feet for just a moment, only for it to stand firm again.</p><p>"Go for Tackle." The woman ordered.</p><p>"Fairy Wind again!" I cheered. Neera once again twirled around, this time as the Gible started charging towards her. The small distance between the two Pokemon forced Neera to take the blow to the side of her shell, pushing her further against the wall before she could release her energy, throwing her Opponent against the ground. It let out a cry before falling onto its chest, unconscious.</p><p>"Spectacularly done." The woman responded as she returned her fallen Pokemon to its ball. "You have bested me."</p><p>"Fini." Neera replied, floating back over to my side. Wave smiled at the victorious Pokemon.</p><p>"That's it then?" I asked.</p><p>"You still have far stronger trials than I ahead, young trainer." The woman replied. "Although you are powerful, I cannot say if you can defeat the Master. Good luck all the same."</p><p>"Thank you." I responded, turning with Neera to leave the room. The door behind us grinded shut, sealing off the path from being accessed again. Now there were five doors left. Which to enter first? Perhaps the best way to go about this was to take them on in a clockwise fashion. That sounded good enough. So, into the next door to the left.</p><p>Another duplicate room, with yet another figure stand at a desk. Neera sighed, likely already tired of the gimmick we were dealing with.</p><p>"Hey." I called out.</p><p>"Ah, another challenger so soon after the last." The man replied as he got to his feet, turning to me. "And such an interesting partner you have, too. Let us see how it fights, shall we?"</p><p> </p><p>"Alright then." I nodded. "How about you have a go at this one, Wave?"</p><p>"Nie!" The Pokemon responded, leaping off my bag. She quickly hopped in front of me, ready for battle.</p><p>"Oh, I hadn't noticed that one. A fine opponent indeed." The man replied, sending out his own Pokemon. It was a tiny serpent not so long as my full arm, colored blue and white; a Dratini.</p><p>"Yours as well." I exclaimed.</p><p>"Flattery will get you nowhere." The man responded. "Dragon Rage."</p><p>"Poison Sting!" I ordered. The Dratini opened its mouth as sunset colored electricity began  to spark in it. Dragon Rage was a familiar move to me; it was extremely powerful at lower levels, but not so much at later ones due to it having the same strength regardless of its user's experience. Two of them would likely KO Wave, which wasn't going to be pretty.</p><p>Thankfully... that wouldn't have to happen. What did happen was something I didn't expect in the slightest. The Mareanie's strike was so swift, I almost didn't notice it. Without even moving, a single needle from one of the Pokemon's many tentacles burst out from it like a rocket, flying straight into the mouth of the Dratini only a second after it had opened it. The needle disappeared into toxic fumes which the Dratini quickly inhaled, its eyes going wide as its body grew limp, falling forward onto the carpet. A critical hit.</p><p>"Uhh..." The man gawked. "Well, that's just great. Sorry for the, uhh... disappointment." The man replied as he withdrew his Pokemon.</p><p>"Don't be sorry. That was great, Wave!" I cheered, catching the Pokemon as she leapt towards me. I almost tried to catch her by the tentacles... almost. She quickly resumed her spot on my backpack, bouncing happily.</p><p>"Onwards, then. May your skill guide your fate." The man replied. We left him in the room just like before, heading back into the main room. Only one thing to do but keep going, right? Ugh... with this luck, the right door was going to be the last one we chose.<br/>
Upon entering the next door, however, I found a pleasant surprise. Instead of another cloaked figure, a well-dressed man sat with his feet crossed over the desk, his hands behind his head. His yellow tuxedo was like a beacon on the warm-colored room... he had to be the gym leader.</p><p>"Uhh, excuse me?" I asked. The man did not reply. "Are you the Gym Leader."</p><p>The man got up from his desk, turning around. But instead of talking, he quickly began walking towards me. His unkept hair and pale face definitely didn't match the others'... and I could definitely see that as he got no more than an inch to me, cocking his lip.</p><p>"Yes and no." He replied. "Who the fuck are you and why the fuck are you talking to my wife?"</p><p>"Uhh..." I stammered. "I have several questions."</p><p>"Shove 'um up your boy-pussy." The man smirked. "The names Hudson! Nice to FAKin meet ya."</p><p>"Uhh... same?" I said. "So... are you the gym leader or not?"</p><p>"Are you going to tell me your name?" Hudson quickly asked.</p><p>"It's William, but-"</p><p>"Fuck you, William!" Hudson laughed. "But seriously, I'm a Gym Leader, yeah. But I'm the LAST Gym Leader. This here's the first gym. Mine doesn't look anything like this shithole. Nah I'm just kidding, this place is pretty cool. But my place..." He trailed off as he let out a whistle, turning around like we didn't exist.</p><p>"So... what are you doing here exactly?" I asked. "Am I going to have to fight you?"</p><p>"Do you wanna get your shit kicked in?" Hudson asked, his smile uncomfortably large.</p><p>"No thanks..." I nervously replied.</p><p>"Good! Because I'm not here to fight you. It's just that with the region so new, nobody's here to challenge me! So I thought: Why not give the newbies some advice, so they can get to me faster? So allow me to give you a tip." Hudson explained. He motioned for me to lean in, as if he was telling a secret. Very calmly and slowly, he whispered. "The Gym Leader here is a idiot."</p><p>"So are you." I whispered back.</p><p>"No you." Hudson returned.</p><p>"Fi-ni-ni!" Neera pouted, grabbing my attention. She probably wasn't a huge fan of this guy.</p><p>"Sorry, but if you're going to just swear at us, I think we'll be on our way." I explained, backing up.</p><p>"Well, before you do, let me give you some advice, eh?" Hudson asked.</p><p>"Alright, go ahead." I sighed.</p><p>"You see, you can keep searching these other doors for the Gym Leader, and waste your time and energy fighting against trainers... or you could fight the lame-ass dude at the entrance, and make him tell you where my friend is." Hudson explained.</p><p>"I don't think that's allowed." I frowned.</p><p>"No joke, that's what the last challenger did." Hudson explained. "She got fucked, yeah, but he still did it."</p><p>"Fini." Neera puffed, grabbing my arm. She had already had enough, and I kind of did, too.</p><p>"I think we'll just take the normal route." I replied.</p><p>"Suit yourself." Hudson shrugged, walking back to the desk. He put his feet right back down as if nothing had happened, pulling up a Holo-Caster as he went back to... whatever it was that he was doing.</p><p>"Okay then." I said, collecting myself from the distraction as I re-entered the main room. With only two more doors left... I was still going to continue on this path of sorts. Once again, another room identical to the last stood before me. Another cloaked figure at a desk... damn.</p><p>"You're not the Leader, are you?" I sadly asked.</p><p>"I am not." The woman replied as she rose from her chair, taking her place near the battlefield. "Do not worry. You will be sufficiently trained for the Gym Leader."</p><p>"I sure hope so." I nodded. "Neera, let's go."</p><p>"Fiii." Neera cheered, twirling forward to take her place.</p><p>"Noibat shall be a good challenge." The woman nodded, tossing a Pokeball into the air. Out came a small flying bat, huge ears making up most of its body. It was a Pokemon I was definitely familiar with, from growing up with comics.<br/>
"Fairy Wind!" I ordered, signaling for Neera to twirl around, preparing her swarm of bright energy.</p><p>"Absorb." The Woman commanded. Neera released her blast of energy as the Noibat braced itself, launching a single seed towards her. The flurry of energy battered her opponent while the seed collided with her shell... however, from the seed came large vines that grew their way into her shell, twisting around her. Small bits of energy flew off Neera's body and back to the Noibat, giving it back some of its swing.</p><p>"Break out of that and use Fairy Wind again!" I ordered.</p><p>"Absorb." The woman repeated. Neera quickly slammed her shell shut, crushing the vines as another seed battered her, the outside of her shell infested with new tendrils. Neera opened herself only for a moment, releasing another thick cloud of power at the Noibat. Even though it tried to avoid the petals, just a few were enough to envelop its body in blossoming pink for just a moment before it fell, unconscious. The vines around Neera's shell quickly broke, letting her open it without a hassle.</p><p>"You are quite strong." The woman replied, returning the Noibat. "Now go. Continue your task."</p><p>"Of course." I politely replied, leaving the room. Only two doors remained now, the one we had entered through, and the final door. I closed my eyes as I stepped through, ready to face my challenge. And yet, when I opened them... there was just another figure. Another red cloak, sitting at an identical desk.</p><p>"Welcome, young one." The woman calmly said as she rose to her feet.</p><p>"You must be the Gym Leader." I noted.</p><p>"I am not." The woman responded. "And you appear unready to face him."</p><p>"Oh really?" I asked. "Neera, care for another go?"</p><p>"Fii." Neera nodded.</p><p>"Jangmo-o, lets go." The woman said, throwing out a small dragon. It was a Fighting and Dragon-Type Pokemon, right? Oh... that was unfortunate.</p><p>"Fairy Wind." I ordered.</p><p>"Tackle!" The woman commanded. The small Pokemon rushed forward as Neera prepared her attack. The small Pokemon ran to the side, delaying its attack until Neera was facing it again. Unfortunately, its timing was met with a blast of Fairy energy, but it still jumped up, ramming itself against Neera's collarbone before bouncing back, puffing, but okay.</p><p>Oh fuck. Jangmo-o wasn't a Fighting Type! It got the secondary typing when it evolved... shit! I was just dealing with another weakness, and not a critical one. I really needed to stop focusing on the gym leader... calm down and focus.<br/>
"Neera, are you okay?" I asked.</p><p>"Tackle." The woman ordered.</p><p>"Sorry, Fairy Wind!" I quickly ordered, realizing exactly how 'focused' I was trying to be. Thankfully Neera reacted in time, preparing her attack. She waited until the Jangmo-o started turning away from her before releasing her attack. The blow send the Pokemon flying backwards against one of the tables nearby, stopping its flight early, but not saving it from a K.O.</p><p>"Masterful." The woman replied. "You have bested me."</p><p>"A good match." I responded. "Would you mind if I asked where the Gym Leader is?"</p><p>"I cannot answer that." The woman replied. "Good luck."</p><p>Great another person who wasn't of any help. Neera joined me back into the main room, with only the way back to the lobby available. Maybe there was a hidden door somewhere here? A puzzle of some sort? That guy... Hudson... he said the guy in the front might know. No point in not asking him now, I guess.</p><p>Neera followed me back into the lobby. There, Isaac sat with his snake-friend, talking about something I couldn't make out. The man who had welcomed us in stood at the center of the room, his arms still crossed.<br/>
"Ah, back so soon." The man replied. "I take it that the Gym Leader was defeated?"</p><p>"No, he wasn't." I responded. "I was hoping you could help me find him. I'm just having a bit of trouble is all."</p><p>"Completely understandable, but I cannot help you. It would be against the rules." The man responded.</p><p>"Well, one of the people back there... a rather odd man... said I could battle you for the information." I explained. "Might I challenge you?"</p><p>The man's expression darkened a bit as he raised his head. The friendliness that had accompanied him had long left, leaving something else in its place. Something I didn't understand.</p><p>"Are you threatening me, young trainer?" The man coldly asked.</p><p>"I'm not trying to threaten you. I'm not going to hurt you." I honestly explained. The man uncrossed his arms, but said nothing.</p><p>"Fini?" Neera asked.</p><p>"Look, can we just calm down? I wasn't trying to be rude..." I sighed. Still the man said nothing. "Can I please just see the Gym Leader?

Suddenly the man reacted, thrusting one of his hands outwards from his body. From his sleeve came a black and yellow Pokeball... an Ultra Ball. He pressed the switch at its center, causing it to grow to its full size.</p><p>"I am the Gym Leader."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Serpentine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I narrowed my eyes at the man's statement. Sure, the trip through the rest of the gym was somewhat entertaining. I got to have my first battle with Wave, as well as getting some more fights with Neera. That wasn't the reason why I had to slide my fingers across my face.</p><p>"Really...?" I sighed.</p><p>"Oh, what?." The man rolled his eyes. He placed the Pokeball on the tip of his finger, spinning it. "Not a fan of my methods of weeding out unprepared trainers?"</p><p>"I was expecting something... I don't know. More professional?" I shrugged.</p><p>"I don't know what you're talking about." The Gym Leader grinned. "I'll let you know that there's a gym in Unova that catapults challengers against walls. All I did was pit you against some trainers who wanted some practice."</p><p>"Alright, sorry." I replied.</p><p>"Don't be." The man continued. "The last folks who came in here? They just looked at me and challenged me. Do you know how fun it is, to set all this up just for someone to ignore all of it? It sucks."</p><p>"I... guess I'm glad to have participated then." I said.</p><p>"Trust me, I had no clue either." Isaac piped up. "I left the gym and came back before finally assuming it was him."</p><p>"That seems like you." I puffed. "So, uh... may I challenge you?"</p><p>"Let's not be too hasty." The man stopped the Pokeball. "I'm Chris, the Gym Leader of Turquoise Lagoon City. Pleased to meet you."</p><p>"I'm William." I responded. "And these are my friends, Neera and Wave."</p><p>"You have quite a way with names." Chris replied. "A very different style between the two of them."</p><p>"He tries his best." Isaac commented.</p><p>"That I do..." I sighed. A part of me thought that the names I thought of were too exotic. But then again, their names meant more, being so unique. At least, I hoped they did.</p><p>"Might I ask, what kind of Pokemon is this?" Chris asked, motioning towards Neera. "I've never seen anything like her."</p><p>"She's a Tapu Fini. A Legendary Pokemon from the Alola Region." I explained, making the man's eyes widen. "She wasn't originally, though. An ancient device... changed her into one. I think the results are fine, though."</p><p>"Have you told the Professor about this?" Chris curiously asked.</p><p>"Yep. He doesn't know how it happened, but there's no doubt that she is what she is." I explained.</p><p>"Okay, good." Chris nodded. "For a second, I thought I was about to get crushed by an actual goddess."</p><p>"She's only about level eleven, no worries." I explained.</p><p>"I never trust the calculations for that." Chris frowned. "Something's strength can never be defined by a single number. Not Humans or Pokemon. But... I think you're fine. It took you multiple hits to defeat some of my Trainers, even with your type advantage. Fairies have always been the biggest problem for Dragon Type users like myself."</p><p>"That doesn't mean I'm going to underestimate you." I explained.</p><p>"I wouldn't assume that for a moment." Chris smiled. "Now, your challenge." The man crossed his arms behind his back. "Are you ready?"</p><p>"As ready as I'll ever be. Let's do it." I exclaimed. "How about you go first, Wave?"</p><p>"Mear!" The little Pokemon replied, carefully bouncing into play.</p><p>"Hopefully you know your stuff." Chris nodded, tossing the Ultra Ball in his hand out into the field. From it burst a small,  blueish snake-a Dratini. The wings on the sides of its head flapped, raising it into the air for just a moment. After coiling, it settled back down.</p><p>"Poison Sting!" I quickly ordered.</p><p>"Thunder Wave." Chris swiped his hand. Wave flexed her tentacles, firing a poison-laced dart towards the serpent. The shot made the Dratini flinch only for a brief moment, but it did not lose its footing; Chris' Pokemon were undoubtedly stronger than those of his trainers. The Dratini quickly threw its head forward, firing a near invisible pulse of electric energy that sapped its way onto the Mareanie, paralyzing her. Annoying, but hopefully, we could manage.</p><p>"Twister." Chris followed up.</p><p>"Poison Sting!" I repeated. Another lightning fast shot from Wave landed its mark, this time, its blistering liquids seeping across the Dratini's skin, poisoning it. And yet the Pokemon would retaliate again, this time firing off a blast of wind from its maw. The wind collided with Wave before breaking apart, swirling around her. She struggled to keep her ground through the whirlwind, but her tentacles continued to keep her bolted down.</p><p>The Dratini coiled itself closer for a moment, as if trying to push the poison off its body. But  it wouldn't have to: in the blink of an eye, it slipped forwards, leaving the volatile liquid behind. Right, Shed Skin... Poisoning the Pokemon wasn't going to win us this battle. But the way things were going, the brute force tactic was likely the way to go.</p><p>"Poison Sting again!" I advised.</p><p>"Twister." Chris countered. Wave raised one of her tentacles, only to have it shudder as electricity coursed through her body. Her status was getting to her! Meanwhile, the Dratini was already launching its attack, and the Mareanie wasn't going to hold her footing...</p><p>"Good work, Wave!" I cheered, making the Pokemon suddenly drop its tentacle. Forming a dome, it stood still as the attack broke on its skin, forming the tornado yet again. A surge of static struck the small Pokemon, making her release one of her tendrils from the ground, but with great effort, she pulled it back down to the rest, withstanding the attack.</p><p>"Poison Sting, you can do it!" I ordered.</p><p>"Another one!" Chris followed, signaling for the Dratini to prepare its attack. But Wave had already moved, firing another dart into its body before latching down onto the ground, ready for the attack. It wasn't going to come, however, as the Dratini shuddered, falling flat on its face as Chris returned it to its ball.</p><p>"First one down." Chris frowned, swapping out his Pokeballs. The second was a simple Pokeball, a classic, but unassuming. He tossed it into the field, and with it came another bolt of red light. From the light emerged a small, but capable dragon. Black fur covered its eyes, and most of its otherwise blue body. The Pokemon, a Deino, didn't seem like it was looking at Wave, but its light-choked eyes hidden beneath its makeshift hood likely were.</p><p>"You did a good job." I nodded, catching its attention. Now that I could see her clearly... her face was a bit scratched up, and several spikes from her tentacles were still missing. She had only a few more at most. "Actually, I think you've done really well. How about letting Neera fill in for you?"</p><p>"Nie..." Wave nodded, hopping away from the battlefield as Neera took her place. My main partner definitely had one thing going for her: cheerfulness.</p><p>"Let's not get too excited." I advised. Neera nodded in response, observing her opponent.</p><p>"Hoh boy, I should've expected this." Chris groaned. "Tackle."</p><p>"Fairy Wind!" I ordered, signaling for Neera to perform her signature wind-up, releasing her energy petals into a gust of wind that decimated the approaching Pokemon. Its double weakness wasn't going to let it survive as much as the Dratini before, unfortunately. It tumbled over, groaning much like its trainer was as he returned it to its ball.</p><p>"Huh. Well, shoot." Chris puffed. "At least you tried, buddy."</p><p>"Does that mean we win?" I asked.</p><p>"Are you kidding? Of course not." Chris replied. "Hudson, would you do the honors?"</p><p>Footsteps followed as the man who had talked to us before entered the entrance hall. He leaned against the wall, grinning profusely.</p><p>"Alright, then." Hudson replied, pressing his shoulder against the wall. The floor beneath us suddenly shuddered, coming to life. I struggled to maintain standing as the entire battlefield lifted itself upwards. The roof of the building collapsed open, revealing the mid-day sky above. The platform roared as it slowed to a halt, letting me take in the wonderful sight of the bay yet again.</p><p>"Quite a magnificent sight, isn't it?" Chris asked, turning to the bay. "I never get tired of it. I wish the previous challenger was good enough to have the chance to take this all in, but oh well. Your skills in both commands, and your teachings to your Pokemon are exceptional. However..."</p><p>The man reached into his robe once more, pulling out a different Pokeball. It was dark blue, patterned with waves. Without a word, Chris opened it, shooting a red beam of light off of the building and out of sight. Silently, he turned back to us.</p><p>"It is reality, though, that victory can only bring one a certain amount of knowledge." Chris explained. Behind his voice, I could hear something akin to squirming. "I would test your resolve in defeat."</p><p>Suddenly, something dove near the side of the platform. It was as if a fish had jumped out of water, but this creature left behind a trail of its body... a scaly red shade on the top, and snow white on the bottom. Again it dipped over a different part of the platform , leaving behind a section of its body as if to mark its presence. I barely caught a glimpse of its face before it zoomed out of view, and then back above, over and over again. There was so much to see that I could barely keep track, but I could make up some things. Two large wings sat along its body, tracing back the path it had taken... slowing to a stop. The Pokemon had raised up its head just behind Chris, revealing an intense, but calm expression, reminiscent of the Dratini from before. It even had the same wings, albeit huge... not as big as the ones lower on its body, but massive none the less.</p><p>"If you do not know, learn." Chris continued.</p><p>"Uhh... what is this... Pokemon?" I curiously asked.</p><p>"Use your Pokedex. We can wait for you." Chris nodded.</p><p>"Oh... okay..." I replied, pulling my Holo Caster out of my bag. As I scanned the creature, I turned to Isaac, who seemed rather unimpressed about the enormous Pokemon around us. The Pokemon had already been registered, and I quickly took to observing its data.</p><p> </p><p>Terracore Dragonite  Dragon/Ground  Level 63 Trainer: Christopher   Ability: Levitate  Known Moves: Unregistered Pokemon</p><p> </p><p>"I've never heard of a... Terracore Dragonite before." I remarked.</p><p>"There are quite a few Pokemon unknown to us, even today." Chris explained. "My friend Darius here evolved from a Dragonair deep underground, becoming a Terracore Dragonite. The Pokemon of Vibreal are quite spectacular, as I bet you already know."</p><p> </p><p>"It's a bit... above my power level, I'd say." I explained.</p><p>"Yes. It is." Chris replied.</p><p>"Is there some kind of gimmick here?" I asked.</p><p>"Gimmick? Perhaps, in a way." Chris explained. "I would have you not attack my companion here, doing your best to survive his assault... I shall judge if you performed well."</p><p>"And I will watch." Hudson interrupted.</p><p>"Fini." Neera firmly said, turning to me. "Ini-ni."</p><p>"You're ready, then?" I asked.</p><p>"Ni." Neera replied, nodding. She stepped out of her shell, her ebony feet touching against the platform as she faced the Dragonite.</p><p>"Good luck." Chris said, smiling. "Emberstorm."</p><p>"Water Gun away what you can't dodge!" I yelled, trying to fit two orders into an understandable statement. The Dragonite began to spew fire from its mouth before opening it, releasing an attack very similar to Neera's Fairy Wind... except made of blazing hot fire. The airs on my skin stood on end before the blaze even left its mouth, coming at Neera like a blizzard. She slid out of the main path, loosing a stream of water to keep some of the fire away from her. But she wasn't fast or accurate enough... some of the embers caught her, making her cringe as she stood up, wiping the ones that landed on her body as quickly as she could.</p><p>"Superpower!" Chris ordered. Suddenly the dragon began to pull back... Superpower usually was done through a powerful punch or kick... but the beast was going to bring its giant skull crashing on top of her!</p><p>"Protect!" I urged. The Pokemon quickly jumped inside her shell, closing it shut as her opponent went down on her. I nearly fell over from the impact of the dragon's chin on the platform, and yet Chris barely moved. We both watched the Dragonite retract itself, the shell beneath it cloaked in a quickly fading glow. Neera quickly reopened her shell as she got to her feet... unharmed, but certainly shaken.</p><p>"Firestorm!" Chris ordered again.</p><p>"Dodge it if you can!" I quickly ordered. A water gun wasn't going to stop another enormous blast of fire... she needed to avoid it. Fortunately, Neera had a better idea than I did in that regard. She quickly stepped out of her shell, leaving it behind as she watched the titanic Dragonite unleash its flurry of flame. Without her shell, Neera easily managed to keep ahead of the barrage, twirling her hair back into its compact style to shrink her profile. The Terracore Dragonite ceased its assault as it realized the futility of the current attack... waiting for its next order.</p><p>"Earth Power!" Chris ordered.</p><p>"Keep at it!" I quickly advised. Neera quickly took notice of her surroundings, watching as the fluttering wings of the great drafon began to form cracks on the surface of the platform. From the wood came pillars of fire that seemed to seep harmlessly through the elegant floorboards into towering pillars of molten rock. Neera quickly took note of one forming beneath her feet, leaping out of the way as it burst forth. Thankfully, the attack hadn't targeted any of the observers or I... Darius was very skilled at controlling them, apparently.</p><p>Neera knew that even better than I did. She turned around just in time to see a pillar of fire engulf her shell completly. When the attack had faded, the shell still sat unharmed... but its surface was glowing with heat... Neera wasn't going to be able to wear it for the moment... something I had to remember.</p><p>"Fiii..." Neera whined. Her body wasn't hurt, but she was shaking. This was a huge step above what we had trained for... and I couldn't blame her for being nervous.</p><p>"Neera, you're doing great! Just a little bit longer!" I cheered, making the Pokemon smile just a bit. Not with excitement... but it would have to do.</p><p>"Magnitude!" Chris ordered, a smile growing across his lips.</p><p>"Jump!" I quickly asked. Neera leapt into the air just as the Dragonite's body tensed, sending a shockwave from the edges of the platform in. The center of it burst in a seismic explosion, pushing Neera, higher into the air, but still not harming her.<br/>"Thunder!" Chris ordered as his Pokemon began to crackle with energy, bolts of electricity coursing through its form as it took aim at Neera. From up there, she surely couldn't hear me... but I had to try!</p><p>"Wait!" I yelled, startling Wave. Neera leaned back to prepare a move... only for a thick bolt of lighting to strike her dead on, electrocuting her. My heart stopped for a moment as I watched her unconscious form begin to fall towards the platform. Without thinking I ran out, holding out my hands to catch the Pokemon before she hit the ground. Her lightweight form pressed with an eerie gentleness as I caught her. </p><p>Her body... it suddenly began to stur. For a second, I thought she was about to come to... but her eyes didn't open. A small glow formed in her chest... I quickly set her down and backed away, letting the bolt of energy within her begin to grow. It instantaneously teleported above her unconcious body... turning into something. A blurry outline of... something. Whatever it was, it was not the Pokemon lying below it.</p><p>"N-Neera?" I stuttered. As if reacting to my words, the creature began to stutter. It jumped between positions like it was teleporting in place, wriggling and shaking like it was wracked with agony.</p><p>"Vinichook, gamensa yi'tel daeln frel..." The creature quietly hummed in a voice cloaked by the crackling of energy. "Yi'tel daeln frel......"</p><p>"T-Thunder!" Chris nervously ordered. I couldn't muster a word as the Dragonite once again prepared a thunderbolt. The lighting burst from its mouth, straight towards the misty figure... only to pass straight through it. It continued shaking, as if nothing had happened.</p><p>"Mar-mar!" Wave hastily said, shrinking behind me.</p><p>"Neera!" I shouted again. The figure suddenly stopped bolted once more... frozen in an empty stare. Its face had no eyes, nothing to tell it apart from some form of attack.</p><p>"F-frel..." The figure whispered. It then fell like a sheet, its body lining up with Neera's perfectly. The energy seemed to pass straight through her, disappearing without a trace. Then, the Tapu Fini's hand opened, grabbing the ground as the Pokemon pulled herself up. Her breathing was heavy as she stared down the Dragonite... as if nothing had happened.</p><p>"I don't know what fucking witchcraft you just did." Chris said, catching his breath. "But... time's up."</p><p>"I don't care that we lost-" I started, only for Chris to interrupt me.</p><p>"Lost?" Chris asked. "I don't see a loser. Even if your Pokemon there didn't pull off whatever distraction that was... you still had your Mearenie there. You had two minutes to survive all of Darius' attacks... and there you stand. Congratulations."<br/>I was honestly dumbfounded. Coming in blind... we had just beaten our first gym. And yet, the battle ended with me more nervous than before. The Past Shell, that thief, Pokephilia, and some kind of... I don't even know yelling gibberish at me. I only could muster up one response now.</p><p>"D-did I pass?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Beginning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Even seeing my partner pull herself back into the realm of conciousness did little to ease my worries, with Neera having already returned to her upbeat attitude as she attempted to cheer me up. "Apologies, but... how long has it been? I feel like a year just passed."</p><p>"Not even five minutes." Hudson explained, his voice filled with something that hadn't been there before: seriousness, and genuine concern. "Everything's okay, alright? No need to get worked up."</p><p>"Right, right... sorry..." I sighed, looking over to my partners, Wave sitting atop the Tapu Fini's shell. "Neera, what happened to you back there?"</p><p>"Fiiii..." Neera responded, shrugging. Was she clueless too, or just secretive? No, she wouldn't have any reason to lie.</p><p>"That was mighty wild, that battle." Chris noted, his Dragonite nowhere to be seen. "You did really well, William. Not only are your words swift and decisive, but you show... genuine care for your Pokemon. Something I wish other trainers would take note of."</p><p>"I try my best, but..." I exclaimed, reminding myself of the battle's end. An image of Neera's bare body being torn apart by the lightning... and what happened afterwards. I still couldn't even begin to decipher what had happened. "I'm just so confused."</p><p>"As am I." Isaac replied. He stepped up to me, holding a Holo Caster in his hand. "Take a look at this."</p><p>"Alright." I nodded, taking the device from his hands. It was pulled into the Pokedex app, displaying some information.</p><p> </p><p>Ability: Pneuma Solarity   Source: Neera (Tapu Fini)   Description: UNKNOWN</p><p> </p><p>"Huh... true self?" I noted. "Wait, perhaps she tries to turn back into an Oshawott?"</p><p>"That sounds plausable." Isaac replied as he took his Holo Caster back.</p><p>"It sounds like you have a lot on your hands." Chris noted. "Have you been talking to the Professor about this?"</p><p>"I have... but he hasn't made any discoveries." I explained. "I'll be sure to talk to him later today, though."</p><p>"That may be a bit difficult." Hudson interrupted.</p><p>"How so?" I asked, taking Wave off of Neera's head.</p><p>"The Professor went down to Expedition City just this morning." Hudson explained. "In my opinion? Continue on your adventure, and go talk with him when you get there."</p><p>"Expedition City. Got it." I responded. "Are you feeling okay, Neera?"</p><p>"Niii~!" Neera happily cheered. The Pokemon grabbed my arm, hopping in place. She stopped for a brief moment to readjust her shell, before cupping her hands underneath her breasts.</p><p>"I'd say that her excitement is definitely warrented." Chris said, stepping towards us. For your performance today, I would like to present you with this."</p><p>Chris held out his hand, revealing a small crest at the center. It was a small black circle inside of a ring, with several dragon heads connecting the two in a spiral fashion. Holding the crest between my fingers, I placed it into a seperate pocket in my bag for safe keeping.</p><p>"Thank you, Chris." I smiled.</p><p>"That's not all. There's a couple more things that I would like you to have." Chris explained. He reached into his coat, rummaging around before holding out a disk. "This is a TM, custom crafted by yours truely. I would've shown you the move, but Neera's typing made that a bit difficult."</p><p>"What is it for?" I asked.</p><p>"Dragonsong." Chris continued. "It's a Dragon-Type attack that deals more damage if you have other party members who also know it. Those teammates have to be concious, though, so keep that in mind."<br/>"Thank you so much, you're too generous." I exclaimed as I took the Machine from him.</p><p>"Do not thank me yet." Chris continued. He flicked his thumb, tossing a small crystal into the air, which he caught effortlessly. He presented the small gem, colored a dim blue with a strange, otherworldly symbol embeded in it. "Finally, I'd like you to have a Dragonium Z. You can use it with that Mega... what is the thing in your hair called?"</p><p>"A clip? Broach? One of those." I explained.</p><p>"Well, if you give the Draconium Z to a Pokemon that can use a Dragon-Type attack, you can give them access to the move Devastating Drake. Remember this pose to unleash your Pokemons' draconic fury." Chris explained. He crossed his arms in front of his chest before shooting them forward, opening them akin to a dragon's maw. He froze in the pose for a brief moment before returning to his normal stance, holding the crystal out again. I took it, placing it and the TM away.</p><p>"Now can I thank you?" I asked.</p><p>"I think you've done that already." Chris explained. "I hope your other gym battles are just as spectacular... and successful."</p><p>"It was fun to watch. Thank you." Isaac stated.</p><p>"Same here, but..." Hudson started. "...maybe we don't need the Professor to find out what happened here."</p><p>"What do you mean?" Chris asked.</p><p>"Well, maybe the Cheshire Expeditionary Society might know something about all this." Hudson suggested. "All this has that sorta... ancient-y vibe to it. They're the experts on that sorta thing. Ever heard of em?"</p><p>"I have been in contact with them a bit, yeah." I explained.</p><p>"You should go visit their Museum." Hudson explained. "If you didn't know, it was robbed last night... no doubt that if the investigations have been completed, the folks there would love something to take their minds off things."</p><p>"That sounds like a plan." Isaac replied. "I have to get going, though. You wouldn't mind going alone, would you?"</p><p>"It's no problem at all." I replied.</p><p>"Don't thank me too quickly." Hudson rolled his eyes.</p><p>"Thank you, Hudson." I responded. "Say, why the sudden mood change?"</p><p>"I know when it's not time to be an asshole, and when it is." Hudson smiled. "It'd be a damn shame if I didn't get my own chance to kick your ass."</p><p>"Maybe in seven or so Gyms, I'll take you up on that offer." I nodded.</p><p>"Mwahaha. I look forward to it." Hudson wickedly grinned. Without another word, he pushed open the door to the gym, taking his leave.</p><p>"Let's go, guys. Maybe we can grab some food in celebration afterwards." I said, looking at Neera and Wave. "I wonder what Mareanie like..."</p><p>Even though it was just as tropical as my home town, walking through Turquoise Lagoon still didn't cease to relax me. Neera was enjoying herself too, her waterlogged skin shining in the sunlight. Wave had nestled her way into my backpack shortly after we had left, likely taking a nap. The sun had already began to set, but once again, our day wasn't done just yet.</p><p> </p><p>Just ahead, a large sign stood out from the apartments and houses around the area; Cheshire Museum: Vibreal Region. Compared to the other buildings of the city, it looked to only have three or so floors to its name. Still, it was a rather impressive structure, with huge floor-wide windows showing off strange exhibits lying inside. There wasn't any indication of a break-in whatsoever from the looks of things... leave it to modern investigations to be thorough.</p><p>The doors to the museum slid open as we approached them, greeting us to a well-lit lobby and soft, atmospheric music. A chime played as Neera and I stepped into the main room, ringing for a short while. I stopped for a moment to take a look around... an empty reception desk sat just ahead of us, and on either side of it you could find a turnstile into the rest of the museum.</p><p>"One moment!" A male shouted. Footsteps echoed through the area, revealing someone out of view quickly running down steps. A tall and slender man entered into the lobby, stopping as he noticed us. "Oh, its you! Top of the evening to ya, William!"<br/>"Marley, right?" I asked, hopefully not confusing him for another member of the team.</p><p>"That's right. Fancy seeing you here." The man noted, standing behind the desk as I approached it.</p><p>"Yeah. I heard you guys had a rough time last night." I noted, darkening the man's expression.</p><p>"You could say that, yes..." Marley quietly hummed. "Bloody bastards, they were. Thankfully they didn't steal anything massively important, but still. The nerve of some people. Don't worry though; if they come back, they'll have to deal with me first."</p><p>"Glad to hear it." I replied. "Anyways, I was wondering if you guys could give me some help."</p><p>"Depends on what for, lad." Marley exclaimed.</p><p>"Do you know what happened to Neera, my partner beside me?" I asked.</p><p>"Indeed I do." Marley explained. "Oshawott turned Legendary because of that Past Shell we gave you. Trust me, I've done my fair share of looking into the Shells we have already, but no such luck. Luckily Drolpil's letting me study the one you're using."</p><p>"You mean this one?" I asked, reaching into my pocket to present the Stone Pokeball.</p><p>"Not the physical thing, lad. Just information." Marley explained. "If you want a discovery out of me, I'm sorry to say that you'll be plum disappointed."</p><p>"Actually, I was wondering if you could give me a tour." I explained. "I wanted to learn more about... whatever made Neera into what she is now."</p><p>"Oh, is that so?" Marley asked. "I'd be happy to show you our exhibits. You won't be disappointed; please, right this way."</p><p>Marley motioned towards the right turnstile, which I stepped through. Neera paused for a moment to observe the contraption. Instead of passing through it, the Pokemon leapt over it like it was a hurdle... it worked, I guess. Neera rejoined me as Marley walked ahead of us, his arms behind his back as he lead us into the deeper reaches of the museum.</p><p>The archeologist lead us into a large hallway, lined with different paintings, artifacts and tables filled with devices of strange and wild origin. He stopped beside a well-taken photograph... of a place that looked almost alien.</p><p>"The Vibreal Region is a place that's been widely recognized for its splendor and brilliance." Marley started. "The Region itself was originally bare and desolate, even in Turquoise Lagoon. The river here..." Marley pointed towards a river in the background of the photo, surrounded by a brilliant mountain range covered in thick red jungle. The foreground, which displayed a brilliant blue mountain to its right, a forest of red trees in the center, and a... pink desert to the left. "...carried ocean water into a lake at the center of the region. The lake's collection of geothermal energies shoots excess water back into the ocean in superheated jets, which create the wicked currents that long prevented the region's exploration."</p><p>"Why couldn't we just fly on the backs of Pokemon to get here?" I asked.</p><p>"It's odd to think about, really." Marley noted. "I simply believe the islands were of no interest, that long ago. These islands looked little more than barren rocks when we first arrived, you know. Besides the forest to the south of Turquoise Lagoon Island."</p><p>"Fiiii." Neera commented. She was observing the picture with an amazed expression, obviously impressed by the landscape.</p><p>"So what happened? When did we decide to come here?" I asked.</p><p>"Exploration... but we were not the first to set foot in the region." Marley explained as he turned, walking over to the next image. It was another photograph... this time of a castle of some sort. It wasn't like anything I had seen before, though... although it was made of stone, huge beams of varying color stretched in organized layouts through its many substructures. Behind the castle, I could see the blue mountain to the right... tying the two images together. "The Tazmarine Kingdom was the first to occupy the region. They lived here over a thousands years ago... their heritage a mix of Kalosian and Alolan. However, they did not pave their way over the land, as notably the Kalosians did. Their structures were built with the land, and into it. A practice that all of our cities in Vibreal do today."</p><p>"That must be really difficult to pull off." I noted.</p><p>"The effort is not without its rewards." Marley explained. "Just as in the ancient past, the Pokemon of the region hold us in high regards for these practices. We know very little about the Tazmarine Kingdom, but what we do know... are quite extreme."</p><p>"What do you mean?" I asked.</p><p>"Some artifacts from the kingdom hint towards their society being democratic, peaceful and kind to Pokemon. Others... a horrible tyranny. And yet, we have no proof of which was the more significant. Which happened first. The biggest mystery to us is how it fell. We have no idea how the Kingdom fell to ruin, not in the slightest." Marley noted. "But we do know some things. Right this way."</p><p>Marley continued on his way, with us following a short ways behind him. He passed by several pictures, each showing a strange and distinct landscape. They were likely images of the places I would soon be in... so I tried my best to ignore them, and save myself from spoiling the surprise.</p><p>Our guide finally turned into the main room, an atrium that stretched through the three floors of the building. Glass cases lined the floor, filled with everything from plates to tools... I could even see one dedicated solely to Past Shells! But what Marley stopped in front of... seized my attention instantly.</p><p>It was a mech. A bipedal figure a few feet taller than I, clad in thick gray armor. A lance on its right hand was thrust outwards, as if frozen in the middle of an intense battle. The machine didn't posses only legs, though... it appeared to be held up by a stand... with no exhaust ports on the bottom of its sleek body.</p><p>"This right here is a prime example of the technology the Kingdom possessed. While not as advanced as us in terms of Pokeballs, for instance, they were quite ahead of their time. This machine is one of the many automated defense systems the Kingdom used. Its construction is very similar to ancient attempts at creating sentient life, such as Registeel. However, these machines have no sentience of any kind. They appear to be constructed in a way that allows for locomotion, but no motors, mechanics or constructions that would lead us to believe it ever moved. Our best bet is that it is controlled by psychic energy, but such precise manipulation of this large machine would likely be incredibly taxing. It was built by King Auchon."</p><p>"Auchon? Neera used that word earlier today." I remarked, quickly explaining what had happened earlier.</p><p>"It doesn't surprise me why she'd use that word in particular." Marley noted. "I gave some explanation for the term, but first, let me finish on this beauty."</p><p>"Sure." I nodded.</p><p>"The Tazmarine Kingdom used their own language, unique to that of both Alolan and Kalosian, and... anything we know of, really. As far as we are aware it is undecipherable, perhaps intentionally so. Speaking of which, let me show you something over here."</p><p>Neera's eyes followed the Sentinel until it was out of sight, as we entered into the opposite hallway. More wall-mounted artifacts filled every nook and cranny. The one that Marley stopped us by was no different. It was a picture of a man who couldn't have been over twenty-five, with a young face and wild orange hair. His shy expression was mirrored by his hands nestled atop the hilt of a sword. The portrait was incredibly detailed, so much that the chestplate the man was wearing appeared to be giving off light.</p><p>"The Tazmarine Kingdom made its home in Lunar Eclipse Castle Town in lower Vibreal. The leader of the Kingdom, whom is pictured here, was revered as a great, wise and friendly leader." Marley explained. "Not only that, he was an amazing inventor, who created many of his kingdom's technologies. He is known as King Auchon Tazmarine."</p><p>"Hmm... that just leaves me with more questions." I sighed.</p><p>"About what?" Marley curiously asked.</p><p>"During that... event, Auchon's name was mentioned. Why...?" I asked.</p><p>"Well, King Tazmarine wasn't exactly a random street goer. The Past Shells may not have been his creation, but they are connected to him." Marley explained. "His was a long era, and apparently a prosperous one."</p><p>"I can see a connection." I noted. "But I'm still not sure."</p><p>"Not ever puzzlebox comes with all the pieces. Some, we have to find, and then assemble." Marley explained. "My friends and I... we've found many pieces, but the picture they form isn't but too clear. Come, let us continue."</p><p>Marley turned away, placing his arms at his sides. As Neera and I followed, I noticed my partner... how her expression had gathered an air of seriousness. Perhaps she was just as lost in thought as I was. Still, she followed without a word, as did I.</p><p>Back into the main room, the man lead us towards a large glass cabinet towards the back of the room. It sat in front of a large, elegant painting of three colored silhouettes, standing shoulder to shoulder. They were Pokemon of some kind, but none that I recognized. Standing on two legs, each appeared to resemble the others, aside from a few differences. One appeared to be cloaked in a waving cloak of blue. Next to it, a searing orange ran along the figure's arms, flowing like a scarf around its neck. The final figure's emerald green chest was affixed with an odd sigil, or perhaps a hole.</p><p>"Powerful Pokemon exist all over the world, and Vibreal was no different." Marley explained. "Records speak of three Mythical Pokemon that were honored by the Tazmarine Kingdom. Their names are Aoln..." Marley pointed towards the leftmost figure. "...Vutem..." He motioned towards the center Pokemon. "And Oegi." He pointed towards the last figure before dropping his hand.</p><p>"What kind of Mythicals were they?" I asked, my mind comparing them to similar deities like Kyogre and Groudon.</p><p>"Oegi was said to be the Pokemon embodying love, with her passionate presence and burning desire." Marley exclaimed. "Vutem, the Pokemon of nourishment, apparently saw the Kingdom untouched by famine and filled not just with food, but with purpose."</p><p>"What types did they have?" I asked.</p><p>"Little remains that gives us many clues. Much of what remains is largely defaced, or not particularly descriptive." Marley explained. "From what we have gathered, our best guess is that they are of the Fairy type."</p><p>"Interesting." I noted. "What about Aoln? What was he like?"</p><p>"Her. The Pokemon were referred to as female. But Aoln is an outlier compared to the others. Very little records of her exist, and what does is even more minimal than the other two in what we can gleam." Marley explained, looking down at the cabinet below the drawing. In front of Aoln's figure sat a Seafloor Fragment, nestled in a pillow. Underneath Vutem's sat a cornucopia, while the slot reserved for Oegi was a Past Shell.</p><p>"So Seafloor Fragments were made for Aoln?" I asked.</p><p>"That is what've been lead to believe." Marley explained. "Her aspect was sexual intercourse."</p><p>"Fiii?" Neera asked, eyeing Marley.</p><p>"You mean she was... the Pokemon of Sex?" I nervously asked. "That seems oddly specific."</p><p>"The act of sex was her forte. She actually had nothing to do with the reproductive factor of it... the one thing we know about her is that she was apparently infertile." Marley explained. "And for that among other reasons, we theorize the Tazmarine Kingdom did not judge her powers to be the same as her companions. Her temple is in a much worse condition compared to the others, despite being in similar size. In the great kingdom's castle, you can easily find signs of dedication and worship to Vutem and Oegi... but none to the third member of their trio."</p><p>"Where are these temples?" I questioned.</p><p>"The three temples are located in Lower Vibreal, in corners a great distance away from one another. The Cheshire Expeditionary Society is actually scheduled to investigate the Lovemaker Temple in the coming weeks." Marley noted. "That would be the one dedicated to Aoln."</p><p>"What is going on over here?"</p><p>I turned my heel to face the owner of the voice, finding a woman walking towards us. It was Chandla, dressed in a brown coat.</p><p>"Aye, Chandla." Marley waved. "I was just giving our friend here a tour of the place."</p><p>"Oh, I see. Are you enjoying yourself?" Chandla asked, opening her mouth before I could respond. "I suppose you had a successful gym challenge. Likely thanks to your wonderful friend."</p><p>"Ini." Neera replied, waving her webbed hand at the woman.</p><p>"Hello, Neera." Chandla replied. "I do not mean to interrupt your wonderful tour, but I wanted to pass on some information. We are going ahead with the expedition despite what happened yesterday."</p><p>"If there is one thing that I can count on, it's your tenacity." Marley said, crossing his arms.</p><p>"You guys are really amazing." I explained. "I was wondering, though. Why even go through all this trouble? Getting all these artifacts and such, and then to display them so close to where you found them?"</p><p>"Adventure has many shapes and sizes." Marley explained. "Discovering a long-lost ancient civilization is something that won't be done many more times, if any. It is a chance that none of us are going to waste."</p><p>"Well said, Marley." Chandla smiled.</p><p>"Thank you." The man grinned. "And I think we've opened a few lights about your adventure, William. Correct?"</p><p>"Although I didn't really get many answers, at least I know where I could find them." I shrugged. "If Neera's okay, then I'm okay, too."</p><p>"Fini!" Neera happily cheered, grabbing onto my wrist.</p><p>"Nie..." Wave cooed, catching my attention.</p><p>"I'm not going to forget about you either, girl." I said, carefully patting the Pokemon while avoiding a nice stabbing.</p><p>"Is that a Mareanie?" Chandla asked.</p><p>"Yep. Her name is Wave." I explained.</p><p>"Building a friendly family already, huh? Well done. I hope you all get along well together." Chandla smiled.</p><p>"Thank you." I smiled. "And thank you for the tour."</p><p>"Not a problem, chap." Marley replied. "Does that mean you're off?"</p><p>"Yep. As much as the city's been great, I want to see what else this wacky region has in store for me." I happily said.</p><p>"Go and experience it." Chandla advised. "You never know what's left to discover."</p><p>"If I find something interesting..." I smiled. "...I'll be sure to pay you back for the Past Shell."</p>
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<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Branch</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The path leading out of the city wasn't too spectacular in comparison to the rest of the settlement. A few, slightly more natural houses found themselves embedded within the mountainside, a few shops here and there. The road ahead, though, was far more interesting, for me at least. Neera was still as cheerful as always, while Wave was... being herself. I still didn't quite know what her deal was.<br/>It was like a second horizon. The rocky, sharp cliffs ended in almost a perfect line with grass, shielded by what was probably thousands of rich, tropical trees. The buildings of the city, however, stopped far before the natural barrier. Even the path that I could see pave its way through the canopy was barely a path at all... just simply a patch of grass that swayed a bit to the left, out into the ocean.</p><p>"Did you live in Turquoise Lagoon, Wave?" I asked, thinking of small talk to pass the time.</p><p>"Nie." The Pokemon replied. Neera, who was walking beside me as always, gave a thumbs-down in her behalf.</p><p>"You must've lived in the ocean, then." I noted. "If you ever need to get some water, just ask. Alright?"</p><p>"Mar." Wave replied, nodding.</p><p>"And what about you, Neera?" I asked. "I don't think I've ever asked about where you came from."</p><p>"Fini." Neera replied. She pointed her hand down towards the ground.</p><p>"Here in Vibreal, huh?" I asked, getting a nod. "It seems like a nice place. Hopefully you don't mind me tying you down."</p><p>"Fi." Neera hastily replied, shaking her head.</p><p>"I'm only messing around. No worries." I replied, crossing my arms behind my head as I gave her a passing glance. I still hadn't adjusted to her naked body... I probably wouldn't any time soon. That did make me wonder, though. There had to be other trainers out there, with Pokemon with bodies like Neera. How did their adventures go? Probably just fine... albeit, they likely didn't have the same thoughts towards their partners as I did.</p><p>Although, that wasn't a downside at all. With all these mysteries to solve, I was bound to solve one... likely the one involving Neera and my Past Shell. Was it the only one of its kind that worked like that? Or are there more, somewhere out there on the beaches of the region? And why was she now an Alolan Legendary Pokemon...? I guess she technically wasn't... only a copy. The region did have Alolan backgrounds... maybe the region's ancestors wanted to create a new Tapu Fini? Or maybe it wasn't the past shell at all.</p><p>"Neera... I wanted to ask you." I started. "Do you remember what happened at the Gym?"</p><p>"Fini." Neera happily replied, giving a thumbs-up.</p><p>"Sorry, I meant what happened to you when you fainted." I said, trying to be more specific.</p><p>"Fii?" Neera asked, raising an eyebrow.</p><p>"Do you remember fainting?" I asked. Neera slowly shook her head, a look of confusion spread across her face. "You don't?"</p><p>"Ni-ni." Neera responded, giving a thumbs-down.</p><p>"Okay. Well... you heard me explain what happened to Marley, right?" I asked.</p><p>"Fini." Neera shook her head.</p><p>"You weren't listening, where you?" I frowned.</p><p>The Pokemon glanced away, avoiding eye contact as she shook her head again.</p><p>"It's fine that you didn't." I sighed. "But anyways... during that battle, you got struck by that Dragonite's Thunder. You fainted, and activated your ability... which made a strange spirit of some sort break out of your body. It started speaking in a strange language, and then the spirit fell back into you... reviving you."</p><p>"Fini?" Neera replied. She placed her hand at her chin as we continued to walk, closing her eyes as she lost herself in thought. Wave hopped her way onto my shoulder, gazing towards the silent Pokemon.</p><p>"It's okay. We'll find out what happened together, right?" I exclaimed.</p><p>"Fi." Neera replied, nodding.</p><p>"It's all right. If we discovered everything about our adventure already, it'd be over in a heartbeat." I explained. "Who knows, maybe we'll share that discovery."</p><p>"Nie!" Wave cheered, grabbing my attention away from the briefest of thoughts.</p><p>"Ha... you too, girl." I smiled.</p><p>I stopped. Taking a glance behind me, I could see the city off in the distance. The park we had first fought in, the tower where Neera had transformed, illuminated by the bright lights of the nighttime lagoon. Above me, lit only by the moonlight, lines of leaves and branches brushed gently in the wind. And ahead, the dimly lit forest welcomed us in. I placed my hand on Neera's shoulder, guiding us in.</p><p>The ambience of the ocean was brought to a halt, and the voice of the forest began to fill my ears... the russling of the leaves being the only indication that we were not alone in the darkness. It wasn't eerie, though... just up in the branches, I could see a Snivy laying on its chest, looking at us with curious eyes. It suddenly recoiled, rushing out of view... it probably noticed I was looking at it. Neera, still within my arm, started gazing at the stars between the cracks in the canopy.</p><p>The forest path wasn't anything to be trifled with, that was for sure... there were moments where I almost didn't notice it. A thousand mini-heart-attacks a second from thinking I got us lost was quickly getting old... but I guess it couldn't be helped. Unlike the Petalburg forest... this place felt natural, and less like a park. The path organically weaved its way over rocks and fallen trees, with only the slightly pressed grass guiding the way.</p><p>"How deep do you guys think this forest goes?" I asked.</p><p>"Fiiii." Neera responded, stretching her arms out on either side of her.</p><p>"That big, huh?" I asked. "Hmm... do you think we should call it a night, then?"</p><p>"Mar." Wave replied. She hopped off my shoulder onto the ground, covering her face with her tentacles.</p><p>"We're not gonna sleep in the middle of the path!" I exclaimed, carefully picking the Pokemon up. "Let's at least go a little bit beside it."</p><p>Neera followed the Mareanie and I just left of the path, where a small clearing was practically calling for us. I reached into my backpack's largest pocket, taking the tent out. I didn't do the most perfect pitching... but it worked. It looked rather impressive, now that I could see it finished.  It was more like a canopy, with sheets on all sides for a sort of open hexagon shape. The poles were only made of plastic, to keep them compact, but they would hold in the gentle night breeze.</p><p>"There you go. All comfy." I smiled, placing Wave in her own corner of the tent. "Are you fine being there?"</p><p>"Mar." Wave quietly replied, covering herself again. She had her own little tent, it seemed. I picked up my backpack from outside, grabbing a rolled up sleeping bag from it. I placed the backpack a short distance from Wave. With most of its weight gone, it slumped over on the side of the tent as I turned to place the bag down.</p><p>"Fini?" Neera calmly said as she entered the tent. I turned around to see her get on her knees, her blue cheeks shining in the little light that could piece the tent's sheets. I wasn't oblivious; I knew what she wanted to do, very, very well.</p><p>"Neera..." I sighed. "It's been a really long day, and we already had fun today. Could we have sex tomorrow instead?"</p><p>"Fii..." Neera replied, her eyes shutting.</p><p>"Hey, no need to get upset. I know what will cheer you up." I exclaimed, rolling out the bag. I took off my shirt, taking in the warm air before stepping inside. "Take off your shell, and stay awhile."</p><p>"Ni?" Neera remarked, opening her eyes. She moved her hands behind her, effortlessly slipping her horn out of the shell before placing it away. The girl crawled on her hands and knees over to me, looking at me within the bag. I rolled my eyes, quickly slipping out of it to offer her a spot. She nodded, sliding herself within it. Once she was inside, I carefully entered along with her, our legs tangling within the tight confines of the traveling bed. Once our eyes were level, her look of confusion turned to joy, brightening tenfold as I picked her lips.</p><p>"Today was a good day." I remarked.</p>
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